Sarasota School Bus Crash: Details Released

SARASOTA, FL — A 69-year-old man from Mishawaka, Indiana, was cited in a Tuesday morning school bus crash in Sarasota that sent several people, including children, to the hospital. The crash involved a bus that was on its way to the Oak Park School.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Michael Rans was heading westbound on Proctor Road around 9:05 a.m. April 11 in an Infinity G35. Rans, a patrol report said, was in the left turn lane at the intersection with Gantt Road.

At that time, a bus driven by Danny Dunn, 63, of Sarasota was heading eastbound on Proctor Road. As Dunn's bus entered the intersection with Gantt, troopers say Rans made a left turn in front of the bus. The bus subsequently struck the Infinity, a highway patrol report said.

Following the initial collision, troopers say the front right corner of the bus struck the traffic signal pole near the intersection.

Dunn was driving a bus with 12 children on board. Seven of those kids were taken by EMS to local hospitals with injuries that have been described as minor by the highway patrol. One of the seven children also suffered a non-crash related medical issue, the highway patrol's report said.

Rans was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Dunn also suffered serious injuries, the highway patrol said.

Troopers cited Rans for making a left turn in front of an oncoming vehicle, the report noted.

The crash closed roads near the Proctor and Gantt intersection for several hours Tuesday.

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Photo courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office