SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A 23-year-old driver was arrested Tuesday after fleeing a traffic stop, crashing into two vehicles, and colliding with a school bus carrying 19 children.
The incident occurred around 7:20 a.m. on County Road 466 near Tatonka Terrace, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office. The driver, Qahiem Williams, was reportedly speeding at 17 mph over the limit when a deputy initiated a traffic stop for school-zone enforcement.
After the deputy activated emergency lights, Williams accelerated, sideswiping two vehicles at a traffic light before hitting the front of Sumter County school bus No. 7818 on County Road 103. Authorities confirmed that no children on the bus were injured.
Video footage shows deputies pursuing Williams through a nearby Walmart parking lot before apprehending him. He was medically cleared and transported to the Sumter County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond on multiple charges, including fleeing and eluding law enforcement, driving with a suspended license, marijuana possession, and leaving the scene of a crash. Additional charges may be forthcoming.
Williams also had two outstanding warrants for similar offenses. In a statement, Sheriff Pat Breeden emphasized zero tolerance for actions that jeopardize children's safety, citing the suspect's recurring behavior as a concern for the community.