JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two women were killed and six others, including four children, were hurt in a four-vehicle crash in Northwest Jacksonville on Friday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to FHP, a school bus was heading eastbound on Dunn Avenue at New Kings Road just after 3 p.m. when it stopped to allow children to get off.
A car and an SUV stopped behind the bus, and the driver of a tractor-trailer wasn't paying attention to traffic being stopped until the last second, state troopers said.
They said the semitrailer struck the SUV, then the car and bus, and overturned.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 40-year-old Clara Blissitt and 65-year-old Naomi James were struck by the tractor trailer Friday. Blissitt died at the scene of the accident Friday. James was transported to UF Health, where she was later pronounced dead.
The driver of the car was taken to a hospital in unknown condition.
Four students and the driver of the bus were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. There were 14 students on the bus from Dinsmore Elementary School, plus the driver.
The driver of the big rig was not hurt. Troopers said he was cooperating and that charges are pending.
"It was like boom," said 6-year-old Tavares Kirkland. "Everybody was crying and stuff."
Shamya Mckenzie, a student on the bus, also described what happened.
"The black car was in front of the truck and then the truck smashed into the black car and it curved over and hit the back of the bus," she said. "I was shocked at first because some of my friends have got hurt."
"The school district called me and told me the bus had gotten into a wreck and Tavares was OK and the assistant principal had him," grandmother Sharon Kirkland said. "I'm just so scared."
Dunn Avenue was closed between Young and Braddock roads. The accident shutdown traffic for more than four hours.
"I just started praying, praying for the families," said Talia Rogers, who was stuck in traffic. "I just wanted everyone to be OK."