DUNNELLON, Fla. — A devastating bus crash left eight people dead and dozens more hurt on Tuesday morning in central Florida.
The bus, which was heading to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, was carrying 46 farmworkers whose families are now dealing with hospital bills and other expenses on top of the loss of their loved ones.
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 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, $1,830 had been raised of the $50,000 goal.
"Farmworkers tend to be forgotten, but it's important not to forget farmworkers, especially during such difficult times," organizer Karen Patricio wrote on the GoFundMe page.
The crash happened around 6:35 a.m. on State Road 40 just east of U.S. Highway 41, according to Marion County Fire Rescue. It's located just north of the Citrus and Marion county line.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a driver named Bryan Howard veered his Ford Ranger pickup truck toward the center line of the road, sideswiping the bus. The crash caused the bus to swerve off of State Road 40, crash through a fence and hit a tree before rolling over, FHP Lieutenant Patrick Riordan said.
Deadly Florida farmworker bus crash
"There's a high probability this may be beyond eight fatalities," Riordan added.
Howard was arrested Tuesday afternoon and charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter.
Federal statistics show that vehicle crashes were the leading cause of job-related deaths among farmworkers in 2022, the latest year available, according to the Associated Press. They accounted for 81 of 171 fatalities.
Authorities in several states have been pushing for greater regulations for the safety of farmworkers, who are overwhelmingly migrants, the AP said. It is unknown if all the workers on the bus were migrants.
“Everything I’ve been told at this point, they all have what they need to be here. There’s no reason for me to be involved with these individuals," said Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods when asked about the legal status of the passengers. "They’re hardworking individuals and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them being here."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.