At least eight people are dead and dozens of others were injured Tuesday morning when a bus carrying farmworkers overturned and crashed, authorities said.
Witnesses reported that a Ford Ranger moved into the opposite lane while traveling on State Route 40 where the bus carrying 53 workers was heading to a watermelon farm at around 6:35 a.m.
The Ford and bus collided “in a sideswiped manner” causing the bus to run onto the shoulder of the road and strike a fence and two trees before it overturned.
Highway patrol officials said that eight people were killed, eight critically injured, ten seriously injured and at least 25 others suffered minor wounds.
The driver of the pickup was among those critically injured and authorities are expecting the death toll to rise due to the high number of victims in critical condition.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods mourned the hard-working victims of the crash calling it a tragedy.
“My heart goes out to them,” he said adding that the agency is helping notifying victims’ families.
The workers were on their way to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, Florida when tragedy struck.
