Florida: 5 dead, 25 hospitalized in Wakulla County bus crash [View all]

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5 dead, 25 hospitalized in Wakulla County bus crash
Karl Etters, Democrat staff writer 11:28 p.m. EDT July 2, 2016

Charred rubble, personal effects and bloody medical gear littered the side of Coastal Highway 98 in Wakulla after five people, including one child, died in an early-morning crash Saturday.

The fire-gutted frame was all that remained of a refurbished school bus, carrying as many as 35 Haitian migrant workers and their families. The semi-truck that the bus hit was equally destroyed.

The truck disintegrated on impact after the bus blew through the blinking red light that leads south to the city of St. Marks.

Its engine block and shredded front tires still sat on the side of the road in a puddle of muddy water as emergency officials tried to piece together what happened. Small trinkets, coolers once packed with food and drinks, pillows and a watermelon lay in the grass near the burning bus. On a sign post nearby was a smudged, bloody palm print.

Florida Highway Patrol investigators say the southbound bus did not stop for the light, hit the truck that was heading west, and then slammed into a power pole around 5 a.m. Skid marks just feet from the intersection indicate the semi-truck may have only braked seconds before impact.
More: http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2016/07/02/5-dead-25-hospitalized-wakulla-county-bus-crash/86632540/

The bus full of Haitian migrant workers was traveling from Bainbridge, Georgia to Belle Glade, Florida for a few weeks of work. The route they were on would have taken about eight hours to drive - I bet the workers were not going to be paid for their travel time. I also bet they have no benefits and no medical coverage.

What's odd is that the intersection where the accident happened is not a direct route south or the faster way south. US 98 along the coast is two lanes from that point until it joins US 27/US 19 at Perry. Also coastal fog makes driving slower some mornings. From Bainbridge, it is fastest to take US 84 east to I-75 or US 27 from Bainbridge to I-10 then east to I-75 , then 75 to the Turnpike. If they wanted to avoid tolls they could take US 27 south from I-75. Or just take US 27 all the way from Bainbridge to Belle Glade.

While they can stay on US 98 all the way from that intersection of US 319 and 98 where the accident happened, it is less direct and much slower that almost any other route.

The major advantage with taking US 98 is that there are no agricultural checkpoints - and maybe they avoid the possibility of being stopped so that papers for the workers can be checked.