Driver flees traffic stop, crashes into school bus with 19 kids before running away
A Florida driver who tried to evade a traffic stop slammed his car head-on into a school bus carrying 19 children, then fled on foot before being caught.
During a morning traffic-enforcement sweep near The Villages Intermediate Center, deputy officers observed 23-year-old Qahiem Williams traveling 17 mph over the limit on County Road 466. The deputy activated lights and tried to pull him over, but Williams accelerated, sideswiped two vehicles at a traffic light and damaged his car’s axle. The compromised vehicle then collided head-on with a Sumter County school bus carrying 19 children on County Road 103; video from inside the bus showed the impact and the driver’s side door opening just before the crash.
All children emerged uninjured. Williams abandoned his car and fled on foot, only to be pursued and apprehended by a deputy near a Walmart. He now faces multiple charges, including fleeing, hit-and-run, and driving with a suspended license, and is being held without bond.
Why it matters
The incident highlights risks of reckless driving near schools and the swift law-enforcement response to protect children.
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