Bus Carrying Ohio Baseball Team Crashes On I-75 In Florida

According to the patrol, Shirley J. Jackson, 69, of West Salem, Ohio, was driving the baseball team southbound on Interstate 75 around 12:30 p.m. March 4. In the area of County Road 41 traffic began to slow as vehicles merged from three lanes down to two.

Troopers say Jackson failed to slow for traffic and struck the rear of a Lexus RX350 that was driven by an 81-year-old woman from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. The woman’s Lexus was propelled forward into a Hyundai Sonata driven by Amy C. Chadek, 45, of Ocala, the report said.

The 81-year-old woman died at the scene. Her passenger, a 59-year-old woman, suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Bayonet Point Hospital. Chadek also suffered serious injuries, the report noted.

Jackson’s bus was carrying 38 passengers, the highway patrol said, but no injuries have been reported on the bus.

The crash closed southbound I-75 until 4:30 p.m.

Charges are pending the outcome of the patrol’s investigation. No further information is being released at this time.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:03 p.m. March 4, 2017, to reflect the bus was carrying baseball players. A previous version said otherwise.

Pasco 3-vehicle fatal crash involving tour bus, SUV and sedan claims 1 on SB I-75 287MM. Traffic diverted at SR-50. pic.twitter.com/MaJfNA7w6M
— Sgt. Steve Gaskins (@SteveG717) March 4, 2017

Photos courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol