HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A Lake Placid student was seconds from boarding her school bus when she watched an 18-wheeler smash into the back of it, flipping the bus and sending children flying out of their seats.
Johannis Rivera, her mother and a friend’s parent jumped into action as the back end of the bus was crushed as it picked up students at the U.S. 27 and Lake Ridge Drive bus stop.
“I was getting out of the car when all I see is a semi truck crashing into the rear of my bus,” said Rivera. “It was crazy. I didn’t understand, it happened so fast.”
The bus was on its way to Lake Placid Middle School, and all of the kids on board were of middle- or high-school age, according to Florida Highway Patrol troopers. The big rig hit the back end of the school bus–which was stopped with its red lights flashing, according to troopers–flipping it on its side in the grass off U.S. 27.
“After it flipped, me and my daughter started running to the bus,” said Luz Ruiz. “That’s when we noticed they were all hurt, crying, screaming. Some could walk, some couldn’t. Two kids were smashed with the bus, it was really bad.”
Troopers tell News Channel 8 that two children were seriously injured and flown to Tampa General Hospital. About half of the 39 kids on board the bus were treated for injuries at TGH or nearby Florida Hospital Lake Placid.
“It was really sad because my bus driver was always scared of this highway because of that reason,” said Rivera. “Then it actually happened.”
The moments before the bus was hit were some of the scariest of Ruiz’s life.
“I just screamed ‘Oh no, oh my God, God, God!’ said Ruiz. “Because I knew it was gonna be ugly. It was bad.”
The bus driver, Selena Hawthorne, and the driver of the semi truck, Stanley Lockwood, were also treated and later released. Lockwood was charged with careless driving.
“The bus driver–glass was all over her, she was really hurt too,” said Ruiz. “We tried our best to get them out, then there was other people to try and get them out. But they couldn’t, they were really in pain. Their legs wouldn’t move, they had to wait for emergency and ambulance.”
Charlene Russ’s son rides the bus. She said she’s complained in the past about cars and trucks flying down the highway past the stopped school bus.
“It’s a dangerous place, I’ve been trying for 2 years for them to do something about this bus stop,” said Russ. “I’m always yelling. I always get out of the car and tell them to stop, because they’re speeding. They won’t stop. They refuse to stop. They’ll just fly by the bus like it’s nothing.”
Rivera she’ll never forget what happened. In the moment, she said she was fine. But later on Wednesday, she broke down.
“I tried not to cry like my mom did,” said Rivera. “But I was very nervous. I tried to calm them down instead.”
Rivera was still visibly shaken when News Channel 8 spoke to her Thursday morning. She planned to stay home from school.
“It’s scary after what happened,” Rivera said. “I told my mom either she drives me there or I’m not going on the bus, at least for a while, because it’s scary and it’s creepy.”