Hockey team bus crashes in Chilton County

Published 8:46 am Friday, February 20, 2009

The Huntsville Havoc hockey team experienced havoc firsthand in Clanton early Friday morning after their bus crashed on I-65.

The bus, which was carrying 21 team members and coaches, was returning to Huntsville after they beat the Columbus (Ga.) Cottonmouths 4-3 Thursday night when it crashed in the median at the 211-mile marker at 12:30 a.m. Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell said the bus didn’t overturn, but it did get stuck in the mud.

He also said the wreck report indicated that the driver of the charter bus may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The driver, who was complaining of dizziness, was transported to Chilton Medical Center.

The remaining 21 people were transported to Clanton Fire Station No. 2 by the Chilton County Jail’s bus, where they waited about two hours for another charter bus to pick them up and take them to Huntsville.

No one was seriously injured in the accident. However, there were some players and staff who sustained minor bumps and bruises, according to a statement released by the team.

The team arrived in Huntsville early this morning. The Havoc hosted Richmond Renegades last night at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville.

Stilwell thanked the Sheriff’s Department for allowing them to use the jail’s bus.