published: Tuesday, November 27, 2012

School bus rear-ended in Avon Park; no injuries reported

News-Sun staff

AVON PARK -- Nobody was injured Tuesday morning when a car rear-ended a school bus carrying 19 students in Avon Park Lakes.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the bus was stopped at the intersection of North Olivia Drive and West Rutland Road at 7:45 a.m. to pick up students. The bus had its caution lights on and stop signs displayed.

Jonathan R. Kirk, 21, of Avon Park, told troopers the glare from the rising sun caused him to reposition his sun visor, distracting him and causing him to not see the bus in time to stop.

Kirk was charged with careless driving for failing to maintain a safe distance from traffic ahead, the report stated.

Tuesday's was the second time in less than a month that a Highlands County school bus has been rear-ended.

On Oct. 31, a bus was stopped at the railroad tracks on U.S. 98 in Sebring when a car failed to stop, hitting another car that was in turn pushed into the bus.

That bus was carrying 21 students. Nobody was injured in that crash, either.