A Polk County school bus carrying 37 students was struck Tuesday morning on Lucerne Park Road, also known as State Road 544, near Winter Haven after a westbound Chevrolet Malibu crossed the center line. According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the car hit the bus near its rear wheels, causing the bus to lose traction and slide into the westbound lane, where it collided head-on with a silver Jeep. The Jeep caught fire; the bus did not.
Two people died in the crash, including a 10th-grade student who was riding the bus, along with a person in the Jeep. One person remained in critical condition and several others were hospitalized as officials worked to confirm the number of injured. The bus had 39 people aboard: 37 students, the driver, and the driver’s 9-year-old daughter.
The driver of the Malibu is cooperating with investigators, and no charges have been announced as the investigation continues. Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid and district staff are supporting affected families. For Suncoast commuters who travel this corridor regularly, the crash is a sobering reminder of how quickly a normal morning can change. What questions do you have about bus safety on your own route? Let us know.
