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Man involved in deadly farmworker bus crash doesn't remember crash, arrest report says

In the newly released arrest report, the driver told officials he crashed into a tree three days prior and had been struggling to process information "mentally."

OCALA, Fla. — A Marion County judge ordered no bond for the pickup truck driver accused of crashing into a farmworker bus in central Florida, resulting in the death of eight people.

Bryan Howard, 41, faces eight counts of driving under the influence manslaughter for the Tuesday crash. At his first appearance Wednesday, the judge said there was probable cause for the charges and said he would be held on no bond.

She also said Howard was in a car accident within days before this fatal crash but didn't provide any details about the incident. 

According to the arrest report released Wednesday, Howard talked to Florida Highway Patrol investigators about the prior crash when they interviewed him at the hospital. In that crash, he reportedly told them an animal had run out into the road while he was driving, causing him to veer off the road and crash into a tree three days before the bus crash.

The document states that Howard told troopers he was sore from the accident, with pain still in his left foot. He also said he had been "having a hard time quickly processing things mentally."

RELATED: Driver of truck that hit farmworker bus in central Florida, killing 8 people, arrested on DUI charges

As investigators continued to ask Howard questions about what led up to the deadly bus crash, he wasn't able to recall many details, but remembered driving carefully because of the crash days before, according to the report. 

Howard told troopers he didn't know how he would have ended up in the wrong lane because he said he didn't pass any other vehicles and wasn't cut off by another driver. He also couldn't recall what part of his truck was involved in the crash.

The arrest report states a bystander had shown him that he hit a bus, but at the time of the interview at the hospital, Howard said he wasn't aware of any of the victims' injuries.

An FHP trooper said in the arrest report that Howard's memory played a role in the decision to conduct sobriety tests.

Other factors included the trooper's observation of Howard with "bloodshot and watery eyes" and "thick and slurred" speech. He also reportedly told troopers that he was smoking medical marijuana oil through a vape the night before and took his prescribed medications before bed, which included Klonopin, Lyrica and Clonidine. 

The morning of the crash, Howard had been on his way to a methadone clinic as part of his daily treatments for a "chipped vertebrae in his back," the report said.

Howard took part in several sobriety tests at the hospital, including standing on one leg, putting his finger to his nose and walking along a straight line. The arrest report notes Howard exhibited signs of impairment throughout the exercises, which was the reasoning provided to arrest Howard for DUI.

Troopers said they took two breathalyzer samples to test Howard's blood-alcohol levels, and that both came back at zero.

RELATED: Migrant workers from Mexico among those hurt in deadly bus crash in Central Florida

During the hearing Wednesday, the judge also ruled that he can't operate a motor vehicle or possess alcohol or drugs while this case is pending.

What led up to the deadly central Florida bus crash

The crash that led to Howard's arrest happened early Tuesday morning, 80 miles north of Orlando as a bus with 46 workers, including Mexican citizens, was going to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon. Troopers said Howard was driving a 2001 Ford Ranger and sideswiped the bus when he crossed the center line on a two-lane road.

The bus veered off the road, plowed through a fence, into a tree and then rolled. At least 40 people were injured in addition to the eight killed. 

Bus crash suspect's criminal history

Court records show Howard has a lengthy criminal history revolving around criminal traffic cases and traffic infractions.

He was convicted of a hit and run in 2019 and was guilty of driving while his license was suspended three times from 2013 to 2018. He was arrested for the same charge a fourth time in 2021, but those charges were dropped.  He was adjudicated guilty of grand theft but was not prosecuted for the pawning stolen property charge. 

In 2013, he was charged with dealing in stolen property and grand theft when he stole his friend's Xbox 360 game console and allegedly pawned it. When Howard spoke to deputies about the incident he told them "I did," according to court records.

In May 2018, Howard was found by a Marion County Sheriff's deputy lying in the middle of the road. The deputy said he appeared to be under the influence or injured, and a glass pipe rolled out of his pocket when he was talking to Howard. He was taken to the hospital and the case was closed by exception, according to the incident report. 

A total of 38 people were taken to the hospital, the sheriff's office said. Of those patients, eight were listed in critical condition; the other 30 people had non-life-threatening injuries. Howard was also injured and taken to the hospital.

State Road 40 was closed for hours because of the crash. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating what led up to the crash.

A GoFundMe benefitting the Farmworker Association of Florida has been created to support the victims of Tuesday's tragic crash and their families. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, $34,214 had been raised of the $50,000 goal.

You can donate to the GoFundMe for the families of the Florida farmworkers affected by the tragedy here.

RELATED: How to help those affected by the deadly Florida farmworker bus crash

10 Tampa Bay's Claire Farrow, Andrew Krietz, Andrea Chu and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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