A Florida motorist accused of speeding away from a traffic stop crashed head-on into a school bus carrying 19 children, then left his wrecked vehicle behind and ran, authorities said.
The Tuesday morning incident was recorded on video, including footage showing the vehicle striking the Sumter County school bus and police body camera video capturing a deputy pursuing the suspect on foot before taking him into custody.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said all 19 students on the bus were unharmed.
Officials said the chain of events began at about 7:20 a.m., when a deputy assigned to school-zone traffic enforcement outside The Villages Intermediate Center spotted 23-year-old Qahiem Williams allegedly traveling 17 mph above the posted speed limit on County Road 466 near Tatonka Terrace.
The sheriff’s office said the deputy turned around and activated emergency lights to pull Williams over, but Williams allegedly sped off and sideswiped two vehicles stopped at a traffic light.
Investigators said those crashes damaged the axle on Williams’ vehicle, leading to a head-on collision with a Sumter County school bus on County Road 103.
Video from inside the bus shows the moment of impact, with the driver’s side door of Williams’ vehicle appearing to swing open just before the crash.
After the collision, Williams allegedly climbed out of the vehicle and ran from the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
Body camera video shows a deputy pursuing Williams before apprehending him near a Walmart.
Williams was taken into custody and faces multiple charges, including fleeing or eluding, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana, leaving the scene of a crash, resisting an officer, hit-and-run and a moving traffic violation, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office website.
Authorities said Williams also had two outstanding Sumter County warrants for fleeing or eluding and driving with a suspended license.
Sumter County Sheriff Patrick Breeden condemned the alleged actions, saying they put children’s lives in danger.
“I have zero tolerance when it comes to actions that put our children’s lives in danger,” Breeden said in a statement.
“This suspect has a history of this type of behavior and our community is safer with him off our streets,” he added.
Williams was medically cleared before being transported to the Sumter County Detention Center, where authorities said he was being held without bond.
