Shortly after 7 a.m. Friday in Myakka City, a routine school bus pickup turned into a hit-and-run case when a white work truck slammed into the bus’s stop arm and then took off, troopers say.
The Manatee County school bus had stopped at the intersection of Betts Road and 103rd Avenue East to pick up a student, with 15 students already on board. Florida Highway Patrol troopers said no one on the bus was hurt, but the truck did not stick around. It continued south on Betts Road and is still being sought as the investigation unfolds.
Troopers Describe The Collision
According to Florida Highway Patrol, the bus was heading north on Betts Road when it stopped with its red warning lights activated to pick up a student. A southbound white work truck failed to stop and “collided with the left side of the school bus’ stop sign,” troopers told Tampa Bay 28.
Instead of pulling over, the truck kept going south on Betts Road while troopers launched a hit-and-run investigation. Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone with information to reach out to local deputies as they work through leads.
Statewide Context: Crashes And Stop-Arm Enforcement
Florida has seen a troubling number of school bus crashes in recent years. The Florida Highway Patrol told WPBF there were nearly 2,000 such crashes in 2024…