Police confirm Belton ISD school bus hit by debris, not rock

It was a scary start to a field trip for some second graders from Belton ISD. Round Rock police have now confirmed what happened.

After going to the location and looking at video from the school bus - they tell us this was not a rock throwing incident. Instead, it was debris along I35.
   
School bus security video captures a scary moment for second graders on their field trip to Austin.

"Oh my god," says student heard on video.

The students were taken by surprise.

"What was that, I almost hit my head?" says student heard on video.

"Are y'all okay? Is everyone okay?" says adult heard on video.

Belton ISD says it was Tuesday morning when a school bus was headed south on I35 to the Thinkery museum in Austin for a field trip. About 60 second-grade students from Sparta Elementary were on board.

As they approached the Hwy 79 exit in Round Rock, something hit the windshield with great force.

"Students were I think a little startled by it, but no injuries or anything like that on the bus," says Kyle DeBeer, communications director, Belton ISD.

At first, school officials on the bus believed they may have been victims of a rock-throwing incident. It's an ongoing problem along I35 in Austin but there hasn't been a case yet in Round Rock.

The incident was first reported to the Austin Police Department. Round Rock police took over the case Wednesday.

After looking closely at the footage and going out to the location - they believe debris along I35 caused the hit, not a rock intentionally being thrown. School officials describe the damage.

"A large, sort of, divot in the windshield with some spider cracks radiating out from it. The bus continued on its way to its destination  and after dropping off the students, the driver contacted the police department," says DeBeer.

Belton ISD says they're happy no one was hurt and that students were able to enjoy the rest of their field trip. The trip ended with no more hits. 

The school district says they don't recall an incident like this ever happening before.