Message from President Kyle regarding Nov. 29 bus accident

Dear Radford University Students, Parents, Faculty and Staff,

As many of you are aware, last evening a Home Ride chartered bus en route to Radford University and Virginia Tech was involved in an accident in Richmond shortly after it left its pickup point at Virginia Commonwealth University. Because the bus is privately operated, because multiple agencies provided the immediate response to the accident scene, and because injured students from more than one university were transported to several Richmond area hospitals, information regarding the well-being of our students has been coming from multiple sources since the time of the accident.

At this point in time, Abbott Trailways, the bus operator, indicates that as many as 29 Radford University students were registered as passengers between the company’s two buses traveling back from the Thanksgiving holiday break. The university is working with the company and affected students to verify which students were located on which bus. 

In several cases our knowledge about our students is based on contacts with the university by family members and classmates with updates about the status of our students. Based on currently available information, the RU staff has been able to identify at least 18 of our students who were injured in the accident, with many of those receiving treatment at Richmond hospitals and subsequently being released. Currently, three of our injured students remain hospitalized. Fortunately, there is no information at this time to indicate that Radford University students are among any patients who may be critically injured in the accident.

Parents, students and friends of the accident victims, we could use your help:

Our immediate focus is to establish the well-being of our students who were on the bus and those who subsequently may have been injured in the accident. Students who were involved in the accident, or families and friends with first-hand information, and who have not already communicated with the Dean of Students’ office are asked to please contact the Dean’s office by calling 540-831-6297 or emailing at dos-web@radford.edu. The Dean of Students’ office will be able to assist with notifying faculty about missed classes and making available other helpful information and assistance, such as the university’s student health center and counseling services.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the accident first responders, including the Virginia State Police and Chesterfield Fire & EMS, as well as the medical professionals, including Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Medical Center, among others, for their quick assistance in rendering aid and treating and supporting our students in this time of need. 

We will keep everyone updated through the university’s website and social media sites as we learn more details. Please join me in wishing our injured students and those of Virginia Tech a speedy and full recovery.

With my very best wishes and support,

Penny Kyle
President

Nov 30, 2015