Here is a recap of the Sheriff’s statements today regarding the school bus crash on Lucerne Park Road: The crash occurred at approximately 6:13 this morning (Monday, October 5, 2026). The school bus was traveling eastbound on Lucerne Park Road. For unknown reasons, a white Chevy Malibu traveling westbound on Lucerne Park Road crossed into the eastbound lane and crashed into the school bus. The impact redirected the school bus into the westbound lane, where it collided head-on with a silver Jeep before flipping over into a ditch. The Jeep caught fire and the driver was killed. There were 39 people on board the bus, which is bus number 1819: 37 Winter Haven High School students, the Polk County Public Schools bus driver, and the bus driver’s 9-year-old daughter. Here is the breakdown of the 39 on board: One 10th grade female student on the bus was killed at the scene. 22 students from the bus were transported via another school bus with a PCFR paramedic attending to them, to the hospital. Seven students from the bus were taken by ambulance to the hospital. The bus driver and her daughter were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Three students from the bus were airlifted (transported to the hospital via helicopter). Four students from the bus were transported by family members to the hospital. This is the disposition of the other parties involved: The driver from the silver Jeep that was involved was deceased at the scene. One adult patient from a vehicle that was involved was transported by PCFR ambulance to the hospital. Two others from vehicles involved in the crash self-transported to the hospital. The hospitals that received patients were: Advent Health Heart of Florida, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Winter Haven Hospital, and Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. Most of those who were injured were treated and released today. The following agencies responded this morning and assisted the Polk County Sheriff’s Office: Winter Haven Fire, Winter Haven Police, Haines City Police, Polk County Fire Rescue, Polk County Public Schools. Many of you have asked about whether or not the bus had seatbelts. Please direct any school bus-related questions to the Polk County Public Schools PIOs. Likewise please contact the School PIOs with any questions regarding parents or reunification. We will not be releasing the bus video today. We will not be releasing 911 calls today. We have posted some photos and the full news conference on X. We will update the media tomorrow morning, October 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the PCSO Sheriff’s Operations Center in Winter Haven, 1891 Jim Keene Blvd.