8 dead and 8 critically injured in severe bus crash in Florida

Eight people are dead and 40 were hospitalized after a bus carrying farm workers crashed and overturned early Tuesday morning in north central Florida, officials said.

The crash involved a 2010 International retired school bus transporting farm workers and a 2001 Ford Ranger truck and unfolded on State Road 40, 500 feet west of SW 148 Court at 6:35 a.m., the Florida Highway Patrol said. The crash site is about 45 miles south of Gainesville.

The bus was traveling west, and the Ford truck east when “for unknown reasons” the Ford “traveled toward the centerline” and the vehicles sideswiped each other, Lt. Pat Riordan of the Florida Highway Patrol told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

After colliding, the bus carrying approximately 50 people traveled off the roadway, went through a fence, struck a tree and overturned, Riordan said.

A total of 40 have been hospitalized, Riordan said. Earlier Tuesday, the Marion County Fire Rescue said eight of the hospitalized were critically injured, and there were 53 patients total in the crash, MCFR said.

The driver of the Ford pickup was also transported to the hospital with serious injuries, FHP said. Riordan said some of the hospitalized are “in very serious condition” and there’s a “high probability” the death count could rise.

“At this point, we are conducting a massive traffic homicide investigation,” Riordan said. It’s not clear what caused the two vehicles to initially collide. 

AdventHealth Ocala said they were treating 16 patients, with 12 in the main emergency department at AdventHealth Ocala and four at AdventHealth Timber Ridge ER, Chief Medical Officer of AdventHealth Ocala, Dr. Rodrigo Torres, said in a statement. 

Some people involved in the crash were also transported HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. 

The workers were headed to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, NBC affiliate WESH of Orlando reported, citing the FHP. 

Cannon Farms announced on social media early Tuesday that it’d be closed “out of respect to the losses and injuries endured early this morning in the accident that took place to the Olvera Trucking Harvesting Corp.”

“Please pray with us for the families and the loved ones involved in this tragic accident,” Cannon Farms said. “We appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.”

NBC News has reached out to the farm as well as Olvera Trucking. 

Marion County Public Schools said one of their school buses was not involved in the crash, but did transport victims to the hospital, WESH reported.

SR-40 is shut down in both directions amid the investigation.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told reporters there were over 30 ambulances at the scene this morning. 

He said the bus was carrying migrant workers, who he described as “hard working individuals.”

It was raining during the press conference and Woods noted that weather will be investigated as a potential factor in the crash.

Riordan noted that next of kin notification is the next step for authorities, which may be challenging given some of the victims may be from out of the area.

This is a developing story. Please return for updates.