Brighton, N.Y. -- Kevin Thapa says he knows he is lucky that he wasn't more seriously hurt in the crash on Warren Avenue Tuesday afternoon.
Kevin was in the back seat of the car driven by his lifelong friend, John Zakhary.
The car slammed into the back of a school bus, carrying four elementary school students.
Those students weren't hurt. But two of Kevin's friends in the car were seriously injured. Scott Collins is listed in guarded condition. Christa Mickol was upgraded to satisfactory condition Wednesday afternoon.
Kevin doesn't remember much about the impact, but remembers John screaming, "I remember John yelling a bad word...then frozen shock."
We asked him if he thought John realized he wasn't going to be able to stop. Kevin told us, " I think John knew it was over."
He also remembers waking up in the hospital where aides were cutting his clothes off.
He doesn't know how fast John was driving but witnesses told Brighton Police they saw the white car speeding in that neighborhood in the minutes before the accident.
John Zakhary has a valid license, but it is a junior license. He could be ticketed for having too many passengers in the car. Under the law, the limit is one non-family member. There were three passengers in the car.
Brighton Police say they are using GPS and will obtain the car's black box, to determine if speed was a factor in the crash.
In the mean time, Kevin is praying for his friends who are in the hospital. He has known Christa since the beginning of the year. And he met Scott when the two played soccer together Freshman year.
He says: "I wish them all the best, I hope they make it. All are good friends of mine."
Kevin also tells us he learned his lesson. He was supposed to be picked up by one of his parents on Tuesday but instead accepted a ride from his friend.
He tells us: "I just want to say be careful who you get in the car with. Preferably always pick your parents over a friend. It would be much better to have a more experienced driver, who knows what they are doing."
