Investigators say they still don’t know why a 23-year-old nursing student crossed the center line and slammed into a school bus Monday morning. The impact set off a series of collisions that killed a Winter Haven High School sophomore and a Jeep driver.
Investigators still don’t know why driver veered into bus in deadly crash
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the driver told investigators she doesn’t remember what happened. Investigators reviewed her cellphone and say it was not being used when she crossed the center line. They also found no initial signs of impairment, though blood-test results are still pending.
The crash happened shortly after 6 a.m. Monday on Lucerne Park Road. Investigators say the white Chevy Malibu crossed the double yellow line and struck the rear wheels of a school bus, which was carrying 37 Winter Haven High School students.
The impact sent the bus across the road and into a silver Jeep before the bus overturned in a ditch.
The Jeep driver, 26-year-old DeShawn Smith of Haines City, was killed. Investigators said he was on his way to work and was traveling below the speed limit when the bus crossed into his path.
The student killed was 16-year-old Adinaluz Prieto Oyola, a 10th-grade Winter Haven High School student.
Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid described Adinaluz as an amazing young lady who was loved by her teachers and friends.
As you can imagine, it’s been a very difficult 24 hours, the superintendent said.
Her family received her belongings Monday night. Heid said her phone was filled with messages from friends and loved ones, including messages saying goodbye.
Students tried to save their classmate
Investigators also shared new details Tuesday about what happened inside the bus after the crash.
Heid said video showed at least four students realizing Adinaluz was not responding and trying several times to get her out.
One young man is actually heard … on the recording saying, Don’t worry, I won’t leave you, Heid said.
A female Good Samaritan eventually entered the bus and convinced the student to leave.
The bus driver, 34-year-old Jessica Dye, was also injured and pinned inside the bus. Investigators said she managed to free herself and then began helping her students.
Malibu driver has not been charged
The Malibu driver is a 23-year-old nursing student who was headed to work at Lakeland Regional Health.
Tampa Bay 28 is not identifying her in this story because she has not been charged with a crime.
According to the sheriff, she cooperated with investigators, providing her cellphone and agreeing to a voluntary blood draw.
Investigators said the phone’s last use was around 6:02 a.m., roughly 10 minutes before the crash. As a result, they said they can rule out her using the phone when she crossed the center line.
There were also no initial signs of impairment, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. Blood-test results are still pending.
She didn’t mean to create that crash that morning, Judd said.
Though the driver has not been criminally charged, Judd said she could face traffic citations and potentially civil penalties as the investigation continues.
Investigators said Tuesday they still do not know why she crossed the center line.
Three students remain hospitalized
Thirty-five people were transported to hospitals following the crash, including students, the bus driver, and her 9-year-old daughter.
Three students remain hospitalized. Officials expect all three to make a full recovery.
Counselors were at Winter Haven High School Tuesday to help students and staff cope with the crash.
Officials also praised students and bystanders who put themselves in danger to help others after the bus overturned.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a post on X that it will investigate the crash in coordination with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
An NTSB spokesperson told Tampa Bay 28 in an email, “While the NTSB does not investigate every school bus crash, investigators will assess the circumstances of this crash to determine whether it raises safety issues with potential national significance.”
MORE COVERAGE:
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