Florida bus crash: At least 8 killed, dozens injured; accused driver arrested

At least eight people have been killed and dozens of others have been hospitalised after a bus carrying more than 50 migrant farm workers crashed, on Tuesday (May 14) morning, said local officials.A truck driver involved in the deadly bus collision was laterarrested on manslaughter charges.

What we know about the deadly crash

The accident took place in Marion County at around 6:35 am (local time), said the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the crash involved a retired school bus and a Ford Ranger truck and it took place on State Road 40.

The two vehicles were reportedly travelling in opposite directions on the road and sideswiped each other, said the highway patrol.

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The bus was going west, and the pickup truck was travelling east when for “unknown reasons” the Ford “travelled towards the centreline”.

Subsequently, the bus left the road, crashed through a fence and hit a tree before it overturned. Images and videos from the site show the bus lying on its side in a field off the highway.

About the victims

At least eight people had been killed at the site while around 45 people were left injured. The Marion County Fire Rescue out of the 40 people hospitalised, eight were critically injured and there were some 53 patients total in the crash.

According to the FHP, the driver of the pickup truck was also taken to the hospital after the individual sustained serious injuries.

Pat Riordan of the Florida Highway Patrol told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that there is a “high probability” that the death toll could rise as some of those hospitalised are “in very serious condition”.

“At this point, we are conducting a massive traffic homicide investigation,” said Riordan, adding that it will probably take them at least six months to “conclude factually what transpired here today”.

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The workers were headed to Cannon Farms, which harvests watermelons in the city of Dunnellon.

“They are hard-working individuals and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them being here,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told reporters at the site of the accident after being asked if the workers on board were undocumented, as quoted by The Independent.

The sheriff’s office also took to their Facebook page and was forced to clarify that no children had been involved in the crash after rumours quickly spread.

(With inputs from agencies)