. >> reporter: i'm kristin fischer in st. mary's county where today the entire women's basketball team is recovering after their bus was involved in an accident all caused by a drunk driver. >> we had 33 individuals on the bus. 28 students, four coaches and a bus driver. >> reporter: the team had been heading home after a scrimmage in colonial beach, virginia, when their bus was hit by a drunk driver. >> the bus driver was so heroic in his efforts. he did some maneuvers that prevented the bus from tipping over. >> reporter: the man who caused the crash is john patrick kravats. he is a registered sex offender convicted of assaulting a minor and now is charged with drunk driving. incredibly, no one, not even the drunk driver, was seriously hurt. >> it's a true thanksgiving miracle. >> reporter: kristin fischer, 9news now. >>> and coming up on 9 news now at 7:00, getting elected without even running a campaign. we'll tell you how a connecticut man pulled that one off and what will happen with the seat he won. that is nine new no

kristin fischer picks up the story. >> reporter: police, paramedics and worried parents stretched across buds creek road tuesday night. a bus carrying the entire girls basketball team had been run off the road. >> we had 33 individuals on the bus. 28 students, four coaches and a bus driver. >> reporter: the team had been heading home after a scrimmage in colonial beach, virginia, when their bus was hit by a drunk driver. >> the bus driver was so heroic in his efforts. he did some maneuvers that prevented the bus from tipping over. >> reporter: state troopers say the man who caused the crash is 45-year-old john patrick kravats. he is a registered sex offender. now he has also been charged with driving under the influence. >> our students were put in harms way as a result of irresponsible activities. >> reporter: 17 people were taken to the hospital t15 students, the coach and the driver. >> many of them have bumps and bruises. they had some contusions. >> reporter: the person with the worst injuries was the bus driver. >> when i spoke with him in the emergency room, he was so emotional. h