AL, "and such happens" is Russian, not English

A: Mr. White, I'm so sorry - I was walking past your desk with a cup of coffee and I stumbled and spilled some all over that document you were editing. B: Yeah, well, these things happen. Don't feel bad - it was just a draft. I'll print another one :)

Uly, "бывает и такое" - we usually say this when something surprising or extraordinary happens.
For example, https://wowka13.livejournal.com/85145.html

What you wrote about the spilled coffee - in that case we'd say" (Ничего), бывает.

Thank you, Elena, that's exactly why I write these snippets - it's the only way to clarify usage on here.

So would you mind using ну вот бывает и такое in a snippet so I can see how it's actually used in discourse? Then I can translate it.

I realize now that my translations are incorrect here. I'll delete them and create a new translation with them so everyone learns.

Ну вот, слушай, бывает и такое. У меня была авария, и водитель автобуса оказался соседом моего коллеги по работе.

Clear, Uly. It's very helpful to everybody. Snippet - is another new word).

Ну вот, бывает и такое. Я поехала в отпуск в горы, и там встретила нашего преподавателя географии. Представь!

So is it used as a response to a story someone else told? I’m having trouble coming up with an English equivalent.

it can be used both by tbose who tell the story and those who listen and reply. Synonym: Чего только ни бывает. May be "Wonder is always near", somеthing like this.