Truck driver arrested for drunk driving after he sideswiped a bus, killing eight migrant workers

The driver of a pickup truck was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after he collided with a bus full of migrant workers, killing eight people and injuring around 40 others.

Bryan Maclean Howard is charged with eight counts of negligent homicide following the accident shortly after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Marion County.

About 53 people were on board the former school bus on their way to work on a farm when Mr. Howard’s truck allegedly struck the sides of the vehicle.

The bus veered off State Road 40, struck a tree and landed in a field. Eight passengers died, while about 40 others were taken to nearby hospitals, some in critical condition.

The workers were on their way to work at Cannon Farms in nearby Dunnellon, Florida.

“They are hard-working people and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them being here,” said Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods when asked if the people on board were undocumented.

Shortly after noon, the Mexican consulate in Orlando announced that it was offering emergency numbers for the “presumably Mexican” migrants on board.

“(We) would appreciate any information about the affected Mexicans and their family members,” the consulate posted on X.

Florida Highway Patrol said The Independent The approximately 40 injured were taken to local hospitals for treatment, it was later said, some of them were in a “very serious” condition.

The authorities are investigating the cause of the collision and classifying it as “negligent homicide.”

“It will probably be at least six months before we can conclude what actually happened here today,” FHP spokesman Pat Riordan told reporters on the scene.

Some victims were taken to nearby AdventHealth facilities in Ocala. The hospital said The Independent that 16 patients were under his care.

“Our prayers are with everyone affected by the tragic bus accident in Ocala this morning,” said Dr. Rodrigo Torres, chief medical officer of AdventHealth Ocala, in a statement. “Our immediate priority is to provide excellent medical care to those injured and to offer compassionate support to our patients and their loved ones.”

Two were later transferred to other facilities, while 14 were released.

The farm the workers were heading to, Cannon Farms, posted on Facebook that it would be closed on Tuesday.

“Please join us in praying for the families and loved ones of this tragic accident,” the statement said.

The Florida Immigrant Coalition called the incident “heartbreaking.”

“This accident, like the collapse of the Key Bridge, illustrates the complex interrelationship between migrant labor and our country’s success as an economic engine,” said Adriana Rivera, FLIC’s communications director, The Independent.

“We would not be what we are today without the sacrifices and work of the men and women who, though maligned and spat upon by many, have formed the backbone of our country for generations. From the Chinese who built our railroads to today’s construction and agricultural workers, we owe our economic growth to them.

“We hope that this tragedy will help to give voice to the workers themselves; their dreams, their lives and their entire humanity. May they rest in peace.”

The identities of those involved were not yet known on Tuesday evening.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office was forced to clarify to followers on its Facebook page that the vehicle involved was not a school bus after rumors quickly spread that children were involved.

The sheriff called the collision a “tragedy” and said the Highway Patrol was the best agency to investigate the accident.