A Polk County school bus carrying 37 students was forced into oncoming traffic Monday morning after a car crossed the center line on Lucerne Park Road in Winter Haven, triggering a chain-reaction crash that killed two people and sent dozens more to the hospital.
How the Crash Unfolded
The crash occurred at approximately 6:12 a.m. and involved four vehicles: the school bus, a white Chevrolet Malibu, a Jeep, and a Kia Forte. According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the bus was traveling safely within its lane and at an appropriate speed when 23-year-old Maria Mondragon Jimenez of Haines City, driving the Malibu, crossed the double yellow center line and struck the bus.
The impact tore a tire off the bus’s rear tandem wheel — investigators found black scuff marks along the left side of the Malibu consistent with the collision — and forced the bus into oncoming traffic, where it struck a Jeep head-on. Judd described the initial impact as resembling a reverse PIT maneuver, redirecting the bus suddenly across the roadway. Dash camera video from the bus captured the sequence. The force of the crash then caused the bus to overturn and land in a ditch.
A Kia Forte rear-ended the Malibu after it struck the bus; the Kia’s driver suffered only minor injuries.
“When this crash happened, it happened in the blink of an eye,” Judd said, noting the entire sequence unfolded in approximately four seconds. “There was absolutely nothing he could do to avoid it. It was the blink of an eye and the crash occurred.”
The Victims
The driver of the Jeep, 26-year-old Deshawn Smith, died at the scene. Smith was reportedly on his way to work at the time of the crash.
Also killed was Adinaluz Prieto Oyola, a 16-year-old sophomore at Winter Haven High School who was riding the bus. There were 39 people aboard at the time, including 37 students, the bus driver, and the driver’s 9-year-old daughter.
Polk County Superintendent Fred Heid described Prieto Oyola, who had previously attended Lake Alfred Polytech Academy before transferring to Winter Haven High, as “an amazing young lady in every account.” He noted that Monday was supposed to be her first day of cheerleading practice.
“Teachers loved her, friends loved her,” Heid said.
Valeria Garcia, who attended school with Prieto Oyola, remembered her warmly. “If you would have met her, you would fall in love with her,” Garcia said. “Her funny personality, her always being there, even if you’re having the worst day.”
Heid also highlighted the efforts of students and bystanders who rushed to help after the crash. Video captured four students attempting to rescue Prieto Oyola from the bus, with one telling her, “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you.”
The Bus Driver’s Response
Sheriff Judd credited bus driver Jessica Dye, 34, with acting quickly despite being pinned in the vehicle during the crash. Dye pulled herself free and immediately moved to help the children on board.
“Even though she was involved in a horrific crash and a head-on crash and was pinned in the vehicle, she immediately rushed to the aid of the children just as soon as she could get out,” Judd said.
Superintendent Heid called Dye a hero for maintaining her composure and staying focused on the students throughout the ordeal.
The Scope of the Injuries
In total, 35 people were transported to hospitals following the crash. As of Tuesday, three remained hospitalized, though authorities said those patients were expected to make full recoveries.
What Investigators Know So Far
Authorities have not yet determined why Mondragon Jimenez’s vehicle drifted over the center line. Judd said there was no indication she was speeding; in fact, investigators believe she was traveling below the posted speed limit, consistent with the heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic typical of Lucerne Park Road at that hour.
Blood draw results are still pending, but investigators said they saw no signs of impairment. Mondragon Jimenez told deputies she did not remember what happened, which Judd said investigators believe may be related to the extreme stress and shock of the crash affecting her short-term memory.
Investigators also reviewed her cellphone activity and found she last used her phone at approximately 6:02 a.m., before the crash, and was not using it at the time of the collision. Her next phone activity was a call to 911 immediately afterward.
Judd said Mondragon Jimenez remained at the scene and has fully cooperated with investigators, providing her phone and a voluntary blood sample. “She was not using the cellphone at that moment in time, and quite frankly, she has been totally cooperative with us,” Judd said. “Blood draws, statements, everything, and quite frankly, she can’t explain why she drifted over the line either.”
Based on the investigation so far, Judd said he does not expect criminal charges against Mondragon Jimenez. She could, however, face a citation for crossing the double yellow line and potential civil penalties.
The National Transportation Safety Board was expected to arrive Tuesday to assist with the investigation — a notable step, since the agency does not routinely investigate school bus crashes. Investigators continue working to reconstruct the full sequence of events and determine why the Malibu crossed into oncoming traffic.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not indicated that additional criminal charges are expected at this time.
