FORT MEADE, Fla. — Dozens of people are still in the hospital recovering after an early morning deadly crash.
The wreck involved a semi truck hauling fuel and a migrant worker bus carrying more than three dozen people along U.S. Highway 98 East between Adams Road and Avon Park Cutoff Road in Fort Meade.
"Your life can just change just like that," Amanda Andrews, a woman who witnessed the crash, said.
Polk County Sheriff's deputies are investigating the crash on Highway 98. The Overlook Harvesting bus was carrying 38 farm workers heading to Plant City to pick strawberries before the collision.
"It was literally like a scene out of a movie or something," Andrews said. "I look to the left, there's farmer workers jumping out of the back of the bus and there was two other gentlemen trying to break the window, because the front of the bus was completely totaled."
She says found the semi driver and was able to ask him if he was OK immediately after the crash. He said he was OK, but needed her to stop traffic.
"I kept honking," Andrews said. "I was shining my light like with my phone honking and honking."
The 34-year-old rerouted anyone who came their way. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said one person was killed and 10 others were injured including the semi truck driver.
They were transported as trauma alerts to several hospitals in Tampa, Bartow, Lakeland, Lake Wales and Sebring.
"They the had like three ambulances, three fire trucks, five or six cop cars," Andrews explained. "My prayers and my thoughts go out to all the people that are in the hospital right now."
Investigators say it's still unclear why, but the bus carrying the workers strayed across the center line hitting the tanker head on. There were early morning reports of fog in the area, but it's too early to say whether that played a role.
"The gentleman driving the tank truck, he's got minor injuries. We'll be able to interview him," Judd said.
With many questions left unanswered, the lab technician of 12 years knows she saved lives, but she wonders if she could have done more.
"In the back of my head like what if you would have chosen him and not, you know, not stopping traffic," Andrews said. "What if I could've saved him you know? It's in the back of my head."
Highway 98 reopened at about 2:30 Monday afternoon. We are told the people who were not hurt in the crash will be allowed to go back to work.