Tragic School Bus Accident Claims Two Lives, Several Injured
WHO:
Fox News - The deceased student was a tenth-grade girl from Winter Haven High School, whose name has not been released.
ABC News - The other deceased individual was a passenger in a silver Jeep that collided with the school bus.
Fox News - Two people died in the crash, including a high school student from Winter Haven High School.
Fox News - The bus was carrying 37 students, the bus driver, and the driver's 9-year-old daughter.
Fox News - Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd provided details during a news conference.
WHAT:
Fox News - The Polk County Sheriff stated, "It was a horrible crash. It was a terrible, tragic morning. We had a beautiful tenth grade girl lose her life."
ABC News - The bus was transporting 39 people in total, including 37 students, the bus driver, and the driver's daughter.
ABC News - The bus rolled over onto its roof during the crash.
CBS News - The Polk County Sheriff described the incident as "the most horrific bus tragedy we've had in decades, as far back as I can remember."
CBS News - The bus was headed to Winter Haven High School in Winter Haven.
ABC News - The school bus was transporting 39 people in total, including 37 students, the bus driver, and the driver's daughter.
ABC News - One person in critical condition was reported following the crash.
Fox News - A multi-vehicle crash involving a school bus and three other vehicles occurred, resulting in two fatalities and multiple injuries.
Fox News - The crash sent multiple people to nearby hospitals, with between five and seven individuals transferred with "trauma alerts."
ABC News - The school bus rolled over during the crash.
WHERE:
Fox News - The accident took place in Polk County, Florida, on a two-lane road.
WHEN:
Fox News - The crash occurred at roughly 6:15 a.m. on a Monday.
WHY:
Fox News - The crash was initiated when a white Chevy Malibu crossed the lane divide into oncoming traffic and struck the rear wheels of the school bus.
HOW:
Fox News - The impact of the crash caused the bus to flip over onto its roof and resulted in the Jeep catching fire.
ABC News - First responders spent the first several hours getting people to the hospital, identifying them, and reuniting students with their parents.
CBS News - Helicopter video taken by WESH-TV showed a horrific crash scene, with the front end of the school bus mangled and missing one of its four back tires.
ABC News - The impact of the crash caused the school bus to flip over onto its roof and resulted in the Jeep catching fire.
Fox News - The impact caused the bus to lurch into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision with a Jeep.
Fox News - Injured individuals were transported to hospitals via helicopters, ambulances, and private vehicles.
(UPDATED October 6, 2026 02:11 UTC)
A tragic bus crash in Polk County has claimed the life of a tenth-grade girl, with the sheriff describing it as "the most horrific bus tragedy we've had in decades." The bus, which was transporting 39 people including 37 students, rolled over onto its roof during the incident while en route to Winter Haven High School. First responders worked tirelessly to get the injured to hospitals and reunite students with their parents, as helicopter footage revealed a devastating scene with the bus severely damaged.
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(UPDATED October 5, 2026 20:01 UTC)
A tragic accident involving a school bus and a silver Jeep has left a tenth-grade girl from Winter Haven High School dead, along with a passenger in the Jeep, whose identities have not yet been released. The bus was carrying a total of 39 people, including 37 students, the driver, and the driver's daughter, and reports indicate that one individual is in critical condition following the crash. The collision was severe enough to flip the school bus onto its roof and ignite the Jeep in flames.
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(UPDATED October 5, 2026 18:03 UTC)
A tragic multi-vehicle crash in Polk County, Florida, involving a school bus and three other vehicles has resulted in two fatalities, including a high school student from Winter Haven High School. The bus, which was carrying 37 students along with the driver and the driver's 9-year-old daughter, rolled over during the incident, sending multiple people to nearby hospitals, with five to seven individuals receiving "trauma alerts." According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the crash was initiated when a white Chevy Malibu crossed the lane divide and struck the rear wheels of the bus, causing it to lurch into oncoming traffic and collide head-on with a Jeep.