A gust from a passing semi pushed the bus to the edge

A charter school bus carrying Wyoming students was "on the verge of tipping over" on southbound I-196 Wednesday morning, according to Covert Township Police Chief Jay Allen. No one was injured in the incident, which shut down a section of the interstate for nearly two hours.

The bus was transporting students from Vanguard Charter Academy, a K-8 school located at 1620 52nd St SW in Wyoming. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. at mile marker 9 on southbound I-196, near 44th Avenue in Covert Township.

"On the verge of tipping over," Allen told News 8.

According to Allen, the bus driver noticed a side door was open and pulled to the side of the freeway to close it. A semi-truck then drove past the stopped bus, creating enough wind gust to push the vehicle toward the edge of the embankment.

When Covert Township police officers arrived on scene, they found the bus tilted precariously on the edge of the I-196 embankment. Crews worked to stabilize the vehicle and confirm that everyone on board was safe.

Students moved to a second bus

Police confirmed there were no injuries among the students and staff on the bus. The students and staff were transferred to a second bus while crews worked to recover the first vehicle.

Southbound I-196 remained closed during the recovery operation. The highway reopened around 11:15 a.m., according to the Covert Township Police Department.

The police department released a still image from body camera video showing the bus positioned at the edge of the embankment.

What we know

• Time: Approximately 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, 2026
• Location: Southbound I-196 at mile marker 9, near 44th Avenue, Covert Township
• School: Vanguard Charter Academy, 1620 52nd St SW, Wyoming, MI 49519
• Injuries: None reported
• Road closure: Southbound I-196 closed until approximately 11:15 a.m.