Seven Injured After SUV Collides With Three School Buses on SR-70 in Bradenton

Seven children are recovering after a Saturday evening crash on State Road 70 in Bradenton that involved three school buses carrying high school students and an SUV.

According to investigators, a 32-year-old woman from Tampa was driving eastbound when her SUV struck the rear of a stopped school bus near Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. The impact caused a chain reaction, pushing that bus into a second, which then hit a third. The SUV caught fire after the collision.

Authorities said the buses were carrying approximately 90 students from Fort Pierce Central High School who were returning home from a band competition.

The woman’s 2-year-old passenger was airlifted to a hospital with critical injuries. Six students and the SUV driver were transported by ground for medical treatment.

Emergency responders from Manatee County Fire Rescue and local law enforcement agencies worked quickly to extinguish the fire and clear the scene. The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing, and traffic in the area was delayed for several hours as crews worked to reopen the roadway.