Girl injured in school bus accident

A Haile Middle School student was injured this morning after a rental truck smashed into the back of her school bus.

State transportation officials have concluded the truck's breaks were functioning correctly.

A Florida Highway Patrol report states the school bus and a 2007 freight box truck driven by John E. Morgan, of Groveland, were in the westbound outside lane of State Road 64. The bus, driven by Lee Randall Wilson of Bradenton, was stopped to pick up a student. The box truck failed to stop and Morgan swerved to avoid collision, causing the front right of his vehicle to hit the back left side of the bus. Morgan told authorities the truck's breaks failed.

The student, listed as 12-year-old Dayra Tovar, was struck with the bus’s door as she was boarding. No other students were injured.

Department of Transportation officers responded to the scene and conducted an inspection of the box truck’s breaks. The inspection showed the brakes were fully functional, the report states.

Morgan and the student both were transported to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center with minor injuries. They already have been treated and released.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].