The Winter Haven community is mourning 16-year-old Adinaluz Guadalupe Prieto Oyola, the high-school student killed when a school bus crashed in Polk County, Florida, on Monday.
Prieto Oyola, a 10th-grade pupil at Winter Haven High School, was among 37 students travelling to school when the bus was involved in a chain-reaction collision on Lucerne Park Road at about 6.13am on October 5.
Polk County sheriff’s officials said a westbound Chevrolet Malibu crossed the centre line and struck the rear of the eastbound bus. The impact sent the bus into the path of a Jeep, before it overturned.
Winter Haven student remembered by friends
Prieto Oyola’s death has left classmates and teachers grieving for a teenager described as kind, welcoming and deeply loved by those around her.
Fred Heid, superintendent of Polk County Public Schools, called her “an amazing young lady” and said she was well-liked by her friends and cherished by her teachers.
The teenager had been due to attend her first cheerleading practice on the day of the crash. She had previously attended Lake Alfred Polytech Academy.
Valeria Garcia, a former schoolmate, said Prieto Oyola had a personality that made others feel supported, even when they were struggling.
“If you would have met her, you would fall in love with her,” Garcia said. “Her funny personality, her always being there, even if you’re having the worst day.”
Students tried to help after school bus crash
Footage from inside the bus showed students attempting to reach Prieto Oyola in the aftermath of the collision. Four pupils were seen trying to help her, while one told her: “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you.”
She later died from injuries sustained in the crash.
The bus driver, who was trapped inside the vehicle, freed herself and immediately began helping students evacuate, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. She was among those taken to hospital.
Thirty-five people were transported to hospitals after the crash, including students, the driver and her nine-year-old daughter. Three people remained in hospital the following day but were expected to make full recoveries, officials said.
The Jeep driver, identified by authorities as 26-year-old Deshaun Smith, also died in the collision.
Investigation into fatal Winter Haven bus crash continues
Investigators have not yet established why the Malibu crossed into the bus’s lane. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened a federal safety investigation into the crash.
As Prieto Oyola’s family and friends prepare for her funeral, students at Winter Haven High School have gathered to remember her and offer support to one another.
