JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just a week shy of a bus crash that injured four kindergarten students along Zoo Parkway, Duval County Public Schools said another school bus that was leaving the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens on Wednesday was involved in a “minor” crash.
According to the school district, first and second-grade students from John E. Ford Elementary were returning to school when the bus got into the crash.
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No details were provided at this time about the cause of the crash.
DCPS initially said there were no injuries reported at that time, but in an update from the district as of 3 p.m., at least eight students were “transported for medical assessment as a precaution.”
"We are working to directly contact the families of those students and will continue outreach until all have been reached. A backup bus has arrived on site. District and school staff remain with the students, providing supervision and care as they prepare to be transported safely back to school. We will send another update shortly with information regarding student pick-up. Thank you for your patience as we work to ensure the safety of all students," the updated statement from the district said.
According to the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, there was one adult and eight students transported with non-life-threatening injuries.
"Both JSO and JFRD are on site assessing the situation. School and district staff are with the students, providing care and supervision as we await a backup bus to transport them back to campus. We will send an additional update once students have safely returned to school. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this situation," the district said in an earlier statement.
On Thursday, about 30 kindergarteners from San Pablo Elementary School were on board a Duval County bus headed to the Jacksonville Zoo when a semi truck driver crashed into the back of the bus after “his brakes were not working.”
The impact crumpled the back of the school bus and caused major damage to the tractor-trailer.
Four children were injured and taken to the hospital, and the crash report notes a fifth person was also transported for their injuries. The injuries range from two broken legs to cuts to the head and chest pain. No updates have been released regarding the students’ current conditions.
The truck driver who rear-ended the bus was cited for careless driving and fined $164.
This is developing.