Marion County Crash Leaves 8 Dead, Driver Arrested
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| Several people are dead due to a serious traffic accident involving a migrant bus that occurred on State Road 40 (West Highway 40) Tuesday morning in Marion County, Florida. Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office |
MARION COUNTY, Florida - Eight people are dead and 40 injured due to a serious traffic accident involving a migrant bus and a Ford Ranger truck: that occurred on State Road 40 (West Highway 40) near Rainbow Springs Boulevard around 6:43 a.m. Tuesday morning in Marion County, Florida.
The collision involved a 2010 International Bus, transporting approximately 53 employees of a farming company, and a 2001 Ford Ranger private truck.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the initial investigation reveals that the two vehicles made contact in a sideswipe type collision.
Post collision, the bus traveled off the roadway, through a fence, and then overturned.
Currently, eight people have been confirmed deceased and approximately 40 people have been transported to local medical facilities.
At 1:47 PM today, State Troopers assigned to the FHP Northern Region Specialized Investigations and Reconstruction Team (SIRT) arrested Bryan Maclean Howard, the driver of the private Ford Ranger truck, on the following criminal charges – Eight (8) counts of Driving Under the Influence – Manslaughter.
FHP says that the identities of the deceased will be released pending next of kin notification.
