Massive Crash Sends 25 To 5 Hospitals

PALMDALE , FL. -- A four vehicle crash involving a school bus, two semi-trucks and a one-ton pickup truck left 25 injured Friday night and US 27 in Glades county closed for several hours.

A school bus with 16 child passengers was traveling northbound on US 27 north of State Road 29 as a semi was southbound. A Dodge 2500 pickup, with four children passengers was southbound behind the semi, as a second semi was behind the pickup.

The school bus, driven by Thomas Edward Chism, 45 of Lauderhill, Fl.  turned left through the paved median and made a u-turn to travel south on US27 and while doing so entered the southbound outside lane into the path of the a semi driven by Jorge Ernesto Leyva-Joya, 48 of Miami. The driver turned left attempting to avoid a collision with the bus and the right front struck the rear of the bus. 

The pickup driven by Michael David Black, 42 of  Jupiter slowed but the second semi driven by Luis Felipe Arevalo Tur, 66 of Hialeah failed to slow and the right front of their vehicle struck the left rear of the pickup. 

The bus rotated clockwise and overturned. The semi crossed the grassy median and collided with a fence and bushes.

The pickup with four child passengers overturned, while the second semi traveled onto the median and burst into flames.

25 victims were transported to various hospitals including Florida Hospital, Hendry Regional Hospital, Raulerson Hospital, and Highland Regional Hospital.

Charges are pending further investigations said the FHP Saturday morning. Alcohol was not a factor said the FHP.