Eight people were killed and 45 injured in a bus-pickup truck crash in Ocala, Fla., on Tuesday. File photo by Sima/Pixabay
May 14 (UPI) — Eight people were killed and 45 injured when a bus carrying farm workers and a Ford Ranger truck collided head-on Tuesday morning on State Route 40 in Ocala, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.
The company said Eight of the injured are in critical condition and have been admitted to local hospitals. A bus carrying 53 farm workers to Cannon Farm in Dunnellon collided with a pickup truck.
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As the vehicles traveled eastbound on State Route 40, the pickup truck attempted to veer into the center lane and collided with the bus. Troopers said the bus left the road and crashed through a fence into a tree.
“There is [a] More likely it could be beyond the eight deaths, FHP Lt. Patrick Riordan told WESH-TV.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said authorities are still tryingSeparate families of victims. He said his company is helping to provide Spanish-language translators.
“My heart goes out to them,” Woods told the Ocala Star, describing the victims as “hard-working people” and the accident as a tragedy.
The details of the accident are under investigation, the trooper said.
“At this point, we’re conducting a major traffic homicide investigation,” Riordan said. “This is going to be a very long and thorough investigation. I can tell you that it will be at least six months before we truly conclude what happened here today.”
