WINTER HAVEN, Polk County, FL, October 5, 2026: Two people died and dozens went to hospitals after a school bus carrying Winter Haven High School students overturned during a multi-vehicle crash Monday morning on Lucerne Park Road.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said a bus carrying 37 high school students, the driver, and the driver’s 9-year-old daughter crashed shortly after 6:13 a.m. Video showed it traveling eastbound in the proper lane on Lucerne Park Road (State Road 544).
Investigators said a westbound Chevrolet Malibu crossed the center line and struck the bus near the rear wheel area. The impact made the bus lose control and enter the westbound lanes.
The bus then hit a silver Jeep head-on before overturning beside the roadway. A fourth vehicle also became involved during the sequence.
The Jeep caught fire after the crash. Its driver died at the scene. A 10th-grade student on the bus also died.
There were 39 people on the bus: 37 Winter Haven High School students, the bus driver, and the driver’s 9-year-old daughter.
ABC News initially reported that responders issued several trauma alerts and used emergency helicopters, ambulances, private vehicles, and another school bus to transport patients.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office later said 35 people went to area hospitals. By Tuesday, three people remained hospitalized, and officials said they expected them to recover.
Sheriff Judd said the bus driver freed herself after the crash and then helped students evacuate.
The Winter Haven school bus crash happened on Lucerne Park Road/State Road 544 about 1.5 miles west of U.S. Highway 27 in the Winter Haven area.
Officials closed Lucerne Park Road while first responders treated victims, traffic homicide investigators worked the scene, and recovery crews removed the damaged vehicles.
Multiple agencies responded, including the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Winter Haven Police, Winter Haven Fire, Haines City Police, Polk County Fire Rescue, and Polk County Public Schools.
Investigators still have not determined why the Chevrolet Malibu crossed the center line before hitting the bus.
The Malibu driver cooperated with investigators. Judd said Tuesday that investigators had found no indication of criminal culpability and did not expect charges based on what they knew at the time. The investigation continues.
The National Transportation Safety Board also opened a federal safety investigation into the crash.
Because the investigation continues, readers should not treat preliminary information as a final determination of all contributing factors.
Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid described the crash as a deeply tragic incident and noted that students routinely rehearse emergency bus evacuations. He said that training may have helped them respond after the bus overturned.
The school community has begun mourning the Winter Haven High School student who died. Students returned to school Tuesday and honored their classmate.
Credits and Attribution
Original reporting: “2 dead, multiple injured in school bus crash with children on board,” ABC News, by Megan Fahrney. Published and updated October 5, 2026. ABC News relied on reporting and video from WFTV in its coverage.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Public Schools, and Sheriff Grady Judd provided most of the information, including details on the crash sequence, bus occupants, fatalities, hospitalizations, and the ongoing investigation. Local outlets cross-checked October 6 updates using information the sheriff’s office released.
ABC News receives credit for the original reporting and source material. Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys wrote this article as an independent summary based on publicly reported information.
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