SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — Students are speaking out about the terrifying moment when a train was going to hit the school bus they were on. It was a close call that left dozens of children shaken and a driver is now facing criminal charges.
Even though the terrifying incident occurred last Thursday, students say the fear is still fresh after a train struck the side of their bus as they rode home from school in Central Florida.
“I felt scared,” said student Isabelle Sinibaldi.
“I felt scared, terrified. I was in shock,” another student said.
Authorities said nearly 30 students were on board when a fast-moving train clipped the bus at a railroad crossing last Thursday. No one was injured, but students described the impact as far more severe than it might sound.
“It didn’t feel like a clip. It felt like something actually hit the whole bus,” said Sinibaldi.
Sinibaldi, who was seated near the back, recalled bracing for the worst.
“I tried to press on my seatbelt and it wouldn’t unlatch so that’s when I covered my head and I closed my eyes as hard as I can and hoped that nothing bad happened,” Sinibaldi said.
Investigators say the bus driver, 67-year-old Yvonne Hampton, is now charged with child neglect and failure to stop at a railroad crossing.
“Trains don’t sneak up on people, folks. It was poor judgment, and that’s what led to this arrest. Poor judgment that placed children at risk,” said Sumter County Sheriff Pat Breedon.
According to authorities, Hampton told police “there was a car at the intersection and she was waiting for the car to move.” She said “the car began to move so she began to go over the other side of the tracks but the car stopped.”
However, an arrest affidavit states that a responding officer reviewed video in which Hampton can allegedly be heard saying, “not gonna stop for no train.”
Officials emphasized that proper safety procedures were not followed.
“Anytime we have a bus that’s approaching train tracks, they should stop before the tracks, open their door, look both ways, listen, and then if it’s safe, then obviously proceed across the tracks. That did not happen,” said Sumter County School Superintendent Logan Brown.
While parents expressed relief that no one was hurt, many say the incident raises serious concerns.
“There was a fear that it could have been way worse than what it was,” said parent Ashley Pharis.
School administrators said in response to the incident, bus routes will be changed to avoid the railroad crossing where the crash occurred.
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