A school bus carrying 29 students was clipped by a train in Bushnell, Florida, on April 2, 2026, in an incident that fortunately resulted in no physical injuries. The driver of the bus, Yvonne Hampton, has since been arrested and faces 29 felony counts of child neglect, along with a reckless driving charge. She was also cited for failing to stop at a railroad crossing and is no longer employed by the Sumter County School District.
According to reports and school bus surveillance video, the driver proceeded across railroad tracks after warning lights had activated and crossing arms had begun to descend. Students on the bus could be heard shouting warnings about the approaching train. In a statement captured on video, Hampton’s voice could be heard saying, “Not gonna stop for no train.” The train ultimately struck the rear of the bus.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office stated that Hampton made several poor decisions leading to her arrest. She is being held in jail with no bond. The incident has prompted the school district to review its bus driver qualifications, railroad crossing procedures, and route planning. As an immediate measure, all district buses have been rerouted to avoid the specific crossing where the incident occurred, which reportedly lacked a traffic signal and had limited space.
Sumter County School District Superintendent Logan Brown expressed gratitude that no one was injured, emphasizing that student safety is the district’s top priority. He noted that the bus driver had been employed by the district for over 10 years and had previously received positive evaluations. However, Brown stated that there is no room for such errors and that the district is implementing significant changes to prevent similar occurrences.
Parents have voiced concerns and called for stricter safety measures and qualifications for school bus drivers. While no physical injuries were reported, some families have indicated that the emotional impact on the students remains a concern, with some children expressing fear about riding the bus again.
Federal Railroad Administration data indicates that school buses were not involved in any vehicle-rail collisions at any crossing type between 2016 and 2024. There were no rear-end fatal crashes involving school buses near active crossings with highway signals or at passive crossings during that period. Between 2016 and 2023, there were 10 fatal rear-end crashes near crossings actively controlled by crossing gates or flashing lights, with only two involving a school bus.
The incident occurred near North Main Street and East Central Avenue in Bushnell. Administrators from South Sumter Middle School and South Sumter High School responded to the scene to assist students in connecting with their parents. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with additional details expected from the Sheriff’s Office.
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