Crime & Safety
Students Jumped From Moving Bus During Crash
Video taken from bus reportedly shows students opening an emergency side door and jumping from the bus as it was still moving. Nearly two dozen people were taken to area hospitals after the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol is reviewing video of a bus accident that sent 21 Braden River Middle School students to area hospitals.
The bus is equipped with a video camera pointed from the rearview mirror at the front of the bus looking back. The video shows a chaotic scene in which students jumped from a moving bus through the emergency doors, according to an FHP report. According to the report:
A 2011 Freightliner Tractor was stopped behind other traffic for a red light at the intersection of State Road 64 and 66 Street Court East.
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The school bus, loaded with 40 students was travelling west on SR 64 when the driver, Charles Robert Orr, 68, of Palmetto, became distracted by a student on the bus, according to an FHP report. Orr failed to stop and the front of the bus hit the Tractor.
When the bus hit the semi truck, Orr's leg was pinned preventing him from being able to operate the brake pedal. The vehicle continued coasting west after the crash. That's when several students opened the bus's side emergency exit door and jumped from the bus as it was still moving. The bus was equipped with seat belts for the students.
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Orr steered the bus on to the north shoulder of the road. A witness, who saw the bus still moving after the collision jumped aboard the bus to help. He asked the bus driver how to stop the bus and calmed the students as the bus coasted to a stop.
The accident happened on State Road 64 near 64th Street Court East. The crash scene was near the Wal-Mart. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and reviewing video of the accident.
Along with the 21 students, both the bus driver and the truck driver were taken to the hospital.
The accident happened on State Road 64 near 64th Street Court East. The crash scene was near the Wal-Mart. The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating.
State Road 64 was cleared and open to traffic, after being blocked for nearly two hours.
The students were sent to three area hospitals: Blake Medical Center, Manatee Memorial and Lakewood Ranch.
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