Students OK After Lakewood Ranch Bus Crash

An early morning trip to the Imagine School campus Thursday turned out to be anything but ordinary for a bus full of students.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the bus was heading westbound in the right lane of State Road 64, approaching the intersection of Cypress Creek Boulevard around 7:15 a.m. Thursday when it was involved in a crash.

A Toyota Camry, driven by 17-year-old Nicole Bastien of Bradenton was stopped in the right turn lane on Cypress Creek Boulevard at the time for a red light. The driver of the car, however, failed to yield the right of way to the bus and turned right, the highway patrol said. The bus driver swerved left to avoid a crash, but was still struck by the Camry’s front left side.

No injuries were reported. The 13 students on board were picked up by teachers and brought to class and parents were notified, the highway patrol reported.

The teen driver was cited for failing to stop at a steady red signal.