The student has been identified as Julian Amador, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The crash happened at about 4:55 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, near Huling Road and Lois Road East in unincorporated Denton County. Texas Department of Public Safety investigators said the bus was traveling north on Huling Road when it left the roadway, struck a culvert and overturned.
Five people were aboard the bus at the time, including the driver and four students. The driver, identified as 38-year-old Jesse Padgett of Sanger, and three students were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Amador was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from injuries suffered in the crash.
The circumstances that caused the bus to leave the roadway remain under investigation. Authorities have not announced a cause for the crash, and no decision about possible charges has been reported.
Emergency crews from Sanger responded shortly after the crash was reported. The overturned bus remained at the scene as investigators worked to document what happened.
News of Amador’s death has left families and residents across Sanger grieving. The loss has been especially difficult for a community where students, families and school staff are closely connected.
Residents have also begun planning ways to remember Amador as students prepare to return to school. Some community members said students are expected to wear colors in his memory, while others are looking for ways to continue supporting his family during the days ahead.
Sanger ISD expressed condolences to Amador’s family and everyone affected by the crash. The district said it was working with law enforcement and emergency personnel and would provide additional information to families when appropriate.
The investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety remains ongoing. Officials have not yet released additional details about what led the bus to leave the roadway.
For a community now coping with the sudden loss of a young student, the focus has shifted from the crash itself to remembering Amador and supporting those closest to him.
