2 Dead, Three Critically Injured in Charter Bus Crash at Miami Airport
Two passengers were killed and three critically injured when a too-tall charter bus smashed into the bottom of a concrete overpass at Miami International Airport.
The bus driver drove into the overpass, despite three large yellow signs warning of overpass vehicle height requirements. One of the signs reads: “High Vehicle STOP Turn Left.” Despite the warnings that the overpass could only accommodate vehicles that were under 8-feet-6-inches tall, the bus driver continued to forge ahead in the 11-foot-high bus.
The Miami Herald reports that the privately owned bus had been chartered by the Sweetwater Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses church. The mostly elderly 32-person church group was headed to a convention in West Palm Beach.
Investigators said that the bus driver had gotten lost and was driving in unfamiliar territory and that he may not have known about the height requirement or noticed the signs. However, a daughter of one of the bus crash survivors told the Miami Herald that passengers in front of the bus had urged the driver to stop and turn around just seconds before the top front of the bus smashed into the overpass.
Miami Police reported that one 86-year-old man died at the scene and another 56-year-old man died of his injuries at the hospital. All in all, three people were reported in critical condition and the 27 remaining passengers suffered various non-life threatening injuries.
When asked if the bus driver knew how tall the bus was, the bus company’s co-owner told the Miami Herald, “I don’t know. Ask him.”
If you believe the negligent actions of a bus driver or bus company is responsible for injuries or wrongful death caused in a bus accident, the legal team of Farah & Farah in Miami want to hear from you. Our Florida bus accident lawyers can review your case and inform you of your legal options. Call us at (800) 533-3555 if you have questions about your case. The phone call and the consultation are free.
