A 76-year-old pickup driver from Silver Springs died Wednesday afternoon after his truck collided with a Marion County school bus near State Road 40 and Southeast 177th Avenue. Four children on board the bus were reported uninjured. The crash happened as the bus was preparing to turn left onto SE 177th Avenue, and emergency crews shut down the roadway while they worked the scene. Firefighters extricated the pickup driver and took him to a trauma center, where he later died from his injuries.
What officials say
The Florida Highway Patrol said in a release that the wreck happened around 2:50 p.m. when the school bus failed to yield to an oncoming pickup that was towing a trailer, causing an offset head-on collision, according to ClickOrlando. Troopers said their investigation remains active and ongoing.
Passengers and injuries
Marion County Fire Rescue and state troopers said four students, the bus driver, and a bus aide were on board at the time, and none of them were hurt, FOX 35 Orlando reported. Officials identified the pickup driver as a 76-year-old Silver Springs man and said he was transported as a trauma alert before later dying at the hospital.
Road closures and school response
Deputies closed SR 40 between SE 176th Court and SE 183rd Court while first responders worked the crash. The road reopened shortly before 4 p.m., according to WCJB. Marion County Public Schools confirmed the students on the bus attend Maplewood Elementary, but did not release any additional comments.
Other recent incidents
This deadly crash caps a tense stretch for school transportation in Marion County. On Monday, WFTV reported that a sedan hit a school bus after the sedan driver suffered a medical episode, sending two students and the driver to the hospital. In mid-April, a separate hit-and-run pickup rear-ended a school bus and then took off, according to reporting by Ocala‑News. The string of incidents has renewed local worries about safety along school routes and traffic enforcement.
Investigation
The Florida Highway Patrol stated that "No citations will be issued until the investigation has been completed," according to ClickOrlando. Troopers said they plan to release additional details once they have verified witness statements and fully reviewed the physical evidence from the scene.
