Golf Team Bus Rear-Ended by Drunk Driver
The weekend took an unfortunate turn for the girls’ golf team as they set out for the annual Pippy O’Connor Independent School Girls’ Golf Tournament at Taft. The team of eight and their coach, Robert Bailey, left on Saturday, planning to stay overnight for the tournament on Sunday. An hour into the drive, an unexpected battery shortage forced the team to pull over in the middle of highway I-495 and await the help of Campus Safety; twenty minutes into their wait, an intoxicated driver smashed into the back of their bus, sending the team to the hospital.
“I believe the guidelines are sufficient and procedures are in place in Campus Safety for direct notifications of those on campus who need to be informed.”
Senior and team captain Stella Woo said that the team had fallen asleep in the bus right before being rear-ended. “Our coach yells, ‘Heads up, heads up,’ so I opened my eyes and there was a giant bang from the back of the car,” she said. According to team member and lower Michaela Phan, “there was a lot of smoke so we couldn't see outside very well.” She continued, saying, “We stayed inside the car and called 911. When the police and fire department came, we were taken into ambulances.”
According to the golfers, the intoxicated driver did not comply with the orders of the police. “The driver of the car was yelling at the police, who told us that the driver was very drunk,” Phan said. They had to pin him down and handcuff him.” Woo added that the man refused to breathe through the breathalyzer.
Upper Maria Lee said that some of the golfers hit their heads on the headrest in front of them and other objects lying around, though none of the injuries were too severe. “We were more shocked than physically injured at that point, and we did not know what to do,” she said.
After the crash, many of the girls complained of headaches. Since five were minors and could not release themselves without parental permission, protocol dictated that ambulances take them to the nearest hospital, according to the police and accompanying fire marshals on the scene. “We were legally not allowed to refuse medical treatment, and because we had head and chest pains we had to go to the nearest hospital,” Lee explained.
Two ambulances drove the girls to the Marlborough Hospital in Massachusetts, and emergency responders took their blood pressure and heart rates on the way. Doctors at the hospital, after repeating these tests and speaking with the girls about their symptoms, concluded that the team faced a variety of minor injuries. The hospital’s reports said that six members had “acute head injur[ies],” one had “acute occipital head injury,” and the other chest pain. After nearly an hour, the team was discharged from the hospital with a day off from school and a week off of physical education. They returned to campus and were offered the option of spending the night at the Lamont Health and Wellness Center; they all received a check-up the following morning.
Director of Campus Safety and Compliance Paul Gravel discussed the guidelines and procedures that dictated their response to Saturday’s accident. For long trips, the athletic department uses companies whose drivers are vetted and professionally trained. For shorter trips, faculty and coaches who act as drivers receive a “Driver Obligations” sheet explaining how to deal with emergencies, accidents or vehicle breakdowns. Campus Safety also acts as a point of contact during the travel. “I believe the guidelines are sufficient and procedures are in place in Campus Safety for direct notifications of those on campus who need to be informed,” he said.
Woo felt that the procedures may have been out of proportion relative to the magnitude of what happened. “ I think the whole procedure may have been a bit far compared to our minor injuries,” she said. “However, they definitely were helpful to have for just in case.” Although the procedures were time-consuming, many players on the team believed they were prudent. “It's better to be safe than sorry,” upper Kathryn McCaughey said. “I am just devastated that we were not allowed to go to the tournament after receiving treatment because we had a really good shot at winning and it was my last opportunity to go.”
During the accident, Coach Bailey immediately called 911. The Dean of Students Office also notified parents and requested Fleet Maintenance for assistance, and Campus Safety sent alerts to the Incident Response Team after being notified of the accident. “As in the case in any accident, student wellbeing is critical so with the assistance of medical personnel, and some students complaining of headaches the decision was made to have each athlete checked out at the local hospital,” Gravel said “This was not an ‘over reaction,’ it is protocol.”
Gravel commended Bailey’s ability to remain calm in the situation, and added that the processes and procedures are being reviewed. “We are extremely happy that there were no serious injuries as a result of this accident and wish to thank the girls varsity golf team for the assistance they provided to all responders and for their overall handling of the situation,” he said.
Despite their disappointment at missing the tournament, the team has remained positive in light of the accident. Woo was sad that she could not go to her fourth and final Pippy. She said “I'm grateful that we had no major injuries in general.” Phan agreed, adding “I think the team will get over this pretty quickly and bounce back. It was an interesting bonding experience.”