HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A man who was one of the first people on the scene of a daycare bus crash in Henrico County Thursday afternoon said he helped free children trapped inside the vehicle.
Nine children and a bus driver were rescued from a crashed daycare bus along Richmond-Henrico Turnpike at Pulaski Avenue around 3:15 p.m., according to Henrico Police.
Al Glover said he was driving down the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike on the way to pick up his daughter when he spotted a woman standing by the road calling for help.
"I got out the car and I heard the kids yelling," Glover said. "And when another lady came and she actually had a glass breaker in her car. So her son through it to me, I broke the glass. And one by one, we had a chain handing the kids up to safety."
"The preliminary investigation shows a private daycare bus traveled off the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike near Pulaski Ave and ended up in the ravine," Henrico Police posted on social media.
Glover said he managed to break out most of the windows before police arrived.
"They actually helped us with the chain. So I was handing, as I was pulling out the windows, I was handing to another officer behind me," he said.
"First responders were able to rescue nine children and one adult from the vehicle. All have been transported to VCU Medical Center as a precautionary measure," officials said. "Minor injuries were reported."
Glover said the children on the bus were frightened.
"They was just crying," he said. "And there was one kid with blood on his forehead... They was screaming, but I had to I had to let them know — just get back and I would break the window real quick and get them out of there — because the vehicle was still running."
Glover said the experience left him shaken and he "had to go home for a second and sit down."
"I just saw it on the news and I'm going to go over here and pick [my daughter] up and go back home," Glover said. "You never know what's gonna happen, but I'm glad I was there to help."
Henrico Police spokesperson Lt. Matt Pecka said speed and alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the wreck.
Richmond-Henrico Turnpike was closed for a portion of the evening while crews recovered the van from a ravine, Pecka said. A detour was put in place at Meriwether and Grayson avenues.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
