It’s the notification no parent wants to receive, but for Julie and David Bilderback, Monday night’s bus accident involving Minco High School’s softball team was the second time the El Reno couple have heard the news their child has been involved in an accident. 

Presley Bilderback, a sophomore, was one of the 13 players and coaches on the Minco bus that rolled several times. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported the bus struck a deer on Highway 152, eight miles west of Highway 81.

Minco Superintendent Kevin Sims told an Oklahoma City television station, there were some serious injuries, but all on the bus are expected to recover. 

Like many parents, the Bilderbacks are able to use technology to follow their children. 

“We’ve got Life 360 on our phones,” Julie said. “I got a notification that Presley was involved in an accident. From there, it called her phone and it called 911.

Her daughter was one of three on the bus not ejected, but she could not immediately contact her. Her daughter’s phone had landed outside the bus. One teammate was not injured and she found Presley’s phone and took it to her. 

“She was pretty calm and collected when we got her on the phone and she said we’ve been involved in an accident,” Julie said. 

The adults on the bus were injured, Julie said. There was little contact being made.

“I think Presley was one of the only ones who had it,” Julie said, referring to her phone. 

The team was on its way home from a game with Riverside Indian School near Anadarko. Bilderback said head coach Cody Schmidt was driving the bus, while assistant coaches Jordan Benge and Laci Garrett were seated nearby.

All three were thrown from the bus along with seven players.

“They were thrown out the side or the front of the bus. I was told the coaches were trying to get up to help the girls but they couldn’t because they were in such bad shape,” said Julie.

She said the chaos after the wreck could be heard in the background of the call with Presley.

“It was the most excruciating sounds you’ve ever heard. Presley was trying to give me as much details as she could but she was still in shock and everything.

“She said, ‘Mom, I'm bleeding but I’m OK,’” said Julie.

In the television interview, Sims thanked God for watching over those on the bus. He said, “Broken bones heal faster than broken hearts.”

While there were no fatalities, injuries ranged from multiple broken bones and one player reportedly suffered a broken back. Most involved suffered multiple lacerations and concussions. 

Coaches and players were taken to two Oklahoma City hospitals. Presley was taken to Integris Health Baptist Medical Center. 

“Her left arm is pretty bad. They say there's nothing broken but we’re going to go back into the doctor because she can’t feel anything in some parts of her arm, her left arm. It’s horribly swollen,” said Julie.

Doctors stitched up cuts on Presley’s hands and feet.

The Bilderbacks older daughter, Audrey, was injured in 2022 when a small El Reno High School bus carrying FFA students to Wilburton was involved in a chain reaction crash along Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City.

“And I wasn’t with Audrey that day either. I’m never going to miss another thing again,” Julie said. “Had I been at the game, Presley probably would have rode back with me like some of the other girls did with their parents.” She said several parents were following the bus and helped until emergency personnel arrived.

El Reno Fire Chief Jason Duff said the city’s ambulance service sent two units to the crash site and a command vehicle. The ambulances took two of the injured to Oklahoma City.

“I talked with EMS this morning and they didn’t give me a lot of details but there was a lot going on with all the emergency people and parents involved,” said Duff.

Julie and Presley were both visiting those still hospitalized the day after the accident. Both thanked God no one died.

“Presley puts Bible verses on her cleats. It's crazy but there in the middle of the road was her cleats with the Bible verses,” said Julie.