Shortly after 7 a.m. Friday in Myakka City, a routine school bus pickup turned into a hit-and-run case when a white work truck slammed into the bus’s stop arm and then took off, troopers say.
The Manatee County school bus had stopped at the intersection of Betts Road and 103rd Avenue East to pick up a student, with 15 students already on board. Florida Highway Patrol troopers said no one on the bus was hurt, but the truck did not stick around. It continued south on Betts Road and is still being sought as the investigation unfolds.
Troopers Describe The Collision
According to Florida Highway Patrol, the bus was heading north on Betts Road when it stopped with its red warning lights activated to pick up a student. A southbound white work truck failed to stop and “collided with the left side of the school bus' stop sign,” troopers told Tampa Bay 28.
Instead of pulling over, the truck kept going south on Betts Road while troopers launched a hit-and-run investigation. Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone with information to reach out to local deputies as they work through leads.
Statewide Context: Crashes And Stop-Arm Enforcement
Florida has seen a troubling number of school bus crashes in recent years. The Florida Highway Patrol told WPBF there were nearly 2,000 such crashes in 2024.
In response, the state has been rolling out new tools to catch drivers who blow past stop arms. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has highlighted partnerships with school districts and camera vendors to expand automated enforcement, giving troopers and districts clearer video evidence when drivers ignore extended stop signs.
Potential Legal Consequences
Under Florida law, passing a stopped school bus is a traffic offense that carries driver-license points and fines, and penalties increase if the violation causes serious injury or death, according to the Florida Statutes.
Leaving the scene of a crash can bring separate criminal consequences, depending on whether there is property damage or injury. If troopers track down the pickup and identify its driver, prosecutors will decide whether to file charges based on the evidence collected.
How To Help
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has video of a white work truck in the area around the time of the incident is urged to contact investigators, according to Tampa Bay 28.
Investigators typically look for dash-cam footage, license plate numbers, and time-stamped clips when working hit-and-run cases. The inquiry in Manatee County is ongoing, and authorities say they will release more information as it becomes available.
