Sheriff: Winter Haven crash happened in a ‘blink of an eye’
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – The 16-year-old girl killed in the multi-vehicle crash in Winter Haven early Monday was set to attend her first cheerleading practice that afternoon, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
She was one of two people killed in a violent chain-reaction crash on Lucerne Park Road just after 6 a.m.
According to Polk County Superintendent Fred Heid, Adinaluz Prieto Oyola was the Winter Haven High School student who died in the crash.
“I can tell you that in the 15, 14 years of being a superintendent,” Heid said. “And having dealt with countless tragedies over the years, that was the most difficult conversation I’ve ever had to have with a family.”
(WARNING: The Polk County Sheriff’s Office news conference embedded below includes video that some viewers may find difficult to watch.)
During Tuesday’s press conference, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd played video recorded from inside the bus that captured the crash.
In a matter of seconds, a white Chevy Malibu veered across the yellow lines and clipped the back of the school bus. That caused the bus to swerve and veer from the eastbound lane of Lucerne Park Road (State Road 544) into the westbound lane, where it struck an oncoming Jeep head on. A fourth vehicle also struck the Malibu.
Judd said 26-year-old Deshawn Smith of Haines City, the driver of the Jeep, was killed instantly. He was driving to his job, Judd said.
Judd said an investigation is ongoing into the crash. He said the driver of the Malibu, Maria Mondragon Jimenez, 23, of Haines City, was a nursing student on her way to work.
Civil charges may be likely, though currently no criminal charges are pending in the crash. That could change, Judd said, pending the traffic homicide investigation. Judd said he could rule out cell phone usage by Jimenez at the time of the crash, saying a review showed it was in use at 6:02 a.m. and then not again until she called 911 after the crash.
Polk County officials also took the opportunity to praise the bus driver, 34-year-old Jessica Lynn Dye, who Judd said was not speeding at the time of the crash and managed to unpin herself after the collision and began aiding the 37 students on the bus, as well as her 9-year-old daughter, who also was on board.
PLENTY OF HEROES
More than 100 emergency personnel responded to the scene, which was described as chaotic with coordinated operational response. Polk County Sheriff’s Office: Winter Haven Fire, Winter Haven Police, Haines City Police, Polk County Fire Rescue, Polk County Public Schools all responded to the scene.
Of the 35 patients transported to area hospitals (Advent Health Heart of Florida, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Winter Haven Hospital, and Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital), three remain hospitalized. They are expected to fully recover.
The other patients were treated and released.
As well as the first responders, Heid praised the responses from students and passerbys.
“Our videos show two Good Samaritans rushing into the bus to help get kids off that bus,” Heid said. “At least four students realizing that the victim was not responding and not trying to get up, so they responded to her and attempted several times to evacuate her from the bus, unsuccessfully.
“One young man is actually heard….on the recording saying, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t leave you.’ There are some amazing people in our community. These students put others before their own safety, and for that we are truly grateful.”
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