Pickup truck driver involved in fatal bus crash charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter

Eight people died and 38 people were transported to hospitals after a bus accident in west Marion County early Monday morning [Marion County Fire Rescue].

An Ocala man has been arrested and charged with eight counts of manslaughter while driving under the influence after sideswiping a bus with his pickup truck early Tuesday morning, causing an accident on State Road 40 that killed eight people and injured many, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At 6:35 a.m. on Tuesday, Bryan Maclean Howard’s 2001 Ford Ranger pickup truck sideswiped a 2010 international bus carrying 53 farm workers. The bus veered off the roadway, through a fence, then overturned, killing eight and injuring 38, according to FHP.

The crash occurred about 500 feet west of Southwest 148th Court on SR 40 as the bus was traveling to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon. Of the survivors, 38 people were transported to the hospital by Marion County Fire Rescue ambulances, a Marion County Public Schools bus, and HCA Ocala ambulances. Eight of the victims are critically injured, according to MCFR.

Howard was arrested by FHP and charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter at 1:47 p.m. FHP did not disclose what substance Howard was under the influence of, or provide his arrest affidavit, as the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Howard has a criminal history, which includes traffic, drug and alcohol offenses that date back to 2003.

He has previously been found guilty of two offenses of leaving the scene of a crash, three offenses of driving with a suspended or revoked license, two offenses of driving with an expired license, two offenses of careless driving, a traffic violation of running a red light, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, a traffic violation of failure to stop, a traffic violation of failure to follow a road sign, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to notify the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles of an address change, trespassing on land, three offenses of failure to wear a seatbelt, and possession of alcohol under the age of 21.

His most recent charge of driving without a license for the fourth time in August of 2021 was dropped. At the time of the fatal bus accident Tuesday, Howard’s driver’s license was valid, according to Florida DHSMV records.

Of the victims, 16 people were sent to AdventHealth Ocala. As of 3 p.m., two of those people have been transferred to other facilities and the remaining 14 are expected to be discharged, according to hospital officials.

Thirty-five MCFR units responded to the scene, and victims were transported to 10 different local hospitals, including HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealthTimber Ridge ER, HCA Florida Foxwood Emergency and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, said MCFR spokesperson James Lucas.