SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A 23-year-old man was arrested Tuesday morning after fleeing a traffic stop, colliding with two vehicles, and then hitting a school bus carrying 19 children.
No injuries were reported among the children on the bus, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred around 7:20 a.m. on County Road 466, near The Villages Intermediate Center.
Deputies stated that Qahiem Williams was traveling 17 mph over the speed limit when a deputy initiated a traffic stop. Witnesses reported that he accelerated and sideswiped two vehicles at a traffic light, damaging his vehicle's axle. He subsequently collided head-on with Sumter County school bus No. 7818 on County Road 103.
Video footage released by the Sheriff's Office shows deputies pursuing Williams through a Walmart parking lot before taking him into custody. He was medically cleared and transported to the Sumter County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond on charges of fleeing and eluding, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana, and leaving the scene of a crash.
Authorities reported that Williams had two outstanding warrants for similar offenses. Sheriff Pat Breeden stated, “I have zero tolerance when it comes to actions that put our children's lives in danger,” emphasizing the community's safety with Williams off the streets. Additional charges may be pending as the investigation continues.