The Mexican consulate holds a vigil for farm workers killed in a bus crash in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Mexican consulate in Orlando is planning a vigil Tuesday evening in light of a bus accident last week that left eight farm workers dead and 40 other people hospitalized.

The vigil is intended to remember the farm workers who died in the accident that occurred along State Road 40 near Southwest 148 Court near Ocala.

According to investigators, a “retired” school bus carrying 53 farm workers was westbound when a 2001 Ford Ranger was traveling in the opposite direction, veered toward the center of the road, and threw the bus, which went off the road, sideways through a fence and struck it The tree fell over, police said.

Ultimately, Bryan Maclean Howard – the Ford driver – was arrested on eight counts of drunk driving and negligent homicide.

The Mexican consulate later announced that all of the farm workers involved in the crash had H-2A visas, which allow workers from Mexico to travel to the United States and work in agriculture.

The Farmworkers Association said it plans to continue offering assistance to the farmworkers involved.

The vigil on Tuesday is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.

News 6 will livestream the vigil at the top of this story when it takes place.

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