JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A crash involving a school bus and a car early Friday morning in downtown Jacksonville left two adults and five students injured.
The crash was reported before 8 a.m. Friday at Pearl and Bay streets near the Prime Osborn Convention Center. One person was initially trapped in their car after it collided with the school bus, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue said.
A mangled silver car and a damaged fence could be seen at the crash site. Skid marks could be seen between two Skyway overpass posts where the bus drove through them after the collision.
JTA said crews are checking out the Skyway because the bus brushed the sides of the posts. Service is not interrupted. Crews were out monitoring the area Friday morning.
JFRD spokesman Capt. Eric Prosswimmer said 13 students from Jacksonville Classical Academy were on the bus. Five students were taken to the hospital, all with minor injuries, firefighters said.
Prosswimmer said it appeared the vehicles collided at the intersection and then the car careened off in one direction -- taking down part of the fence -- and the bus veered off in the other direction.
“I can say that the school bus driver did a phenomenal job -- went right between those two posts that you see behind me, avoided any major collision and kept 13 children a lot safer as a result,” Prosswimmer said. “I think the driver’s a little shaken up. That’s to be expected. But all things considered, I think things went well.”
The parents of the students were notified about the crash and those whose children were not taken to the hospital were able to pick them up at the crash site.
Prosswimmer said the person who was trapped in their car after the crash was rescued and taken to the hospital in serious condition. Another adult was also taken to the hospital.