Oct. 5 (UPI) — Two people are dead and several more are injured after a crash involving a school bus rollover and multiple vehicles in Central Florida on Monday.
The crash happened at about 6:15 a.m. EDT, in Winter Haven, Fla., when Chevy Malibu crossed into the lane of an oncoming school bus. The sedan collided with the bus, causing it to lose control and in the process lose a tire, colliding head-on with a Jeep.
A 10th-grade girl and one person who was in the Jeep have died.
The bus was from the Polk County Public Schools district. It was carrying 39 people, including 37 high school students, the bus driver and the driver’s 9-year-old daughter.
Ultimately three cars were part of the crash along with the school bus. The bus came to rest upside down next to the road.
“I’ve done this job my entire adult life, and this is the most horrific bus tragedy we’ve had in decades,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press briefing.
The school bus was en route to Winter Haven High School.
“A PCPS school bus was involved in a serious accident this morning in Winter Haven, which claimed the life of a Winter Haven High student and another motorist,” the school district said in a statement. “This is devastating news for WHHS and our community. We are praying for the victims and their families. Thank you to the many dedicated first responders who provided essential support this morning.”
Police have shut down Lucerne Park Road in both directions near U.S. Highway 27.
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