Bus carrying minor hockey team crashes on 401 in Oxford County

Members of the Markham Majors hockey team stand on the side of Highway 401 near Drumbo, Ont., after their bus crashed into a centre media on Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. (Abigail Bimman / CTV Kitchener)

Three people were taken to hospital after a bus carrying a minor hockey team from Markham crashed on Highway 401.

The westbound bus crashed into a median barrier on the highway, near the Drumbo Road exist between Ayr and Woodstock, around 9 a.m. Friday.

OPP tell CTV News the bus driver was distracted, swerved to the right and then to the left, crashing into the barrier.

“The bus driver was able to maneuver the vehicle and pull over after he realized he had struck the median,” says Const. Lisa Narancsik.

Travelling on the bus were the Markham Majors, a midget travel hockey team comprised of 15-year-olds on their way to Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

They describe laptops and cellphones flying across the bus as it was jolted.

“It was really scary,” says team captain Adrain Francescucci.

“We all got caught off guard. We didn’t expect any of it to happen.”

Two of the players and a father were taken to the hospital with minor head and shoulder injuries.

The injured father, witnesses say, grabbed the wheel of the bus and attempted to right its course after it hit the median.

“Charges (against the driver) are pending and the investigation is continuing,” says Narancsik.

“There’s a lot of people on the bus, so they are getting a lot of statements and gathering a lot of information.”

Minor damage to the bus was reported, and another bus was brought in to allow the team to continue its journey to Ohio.