Eight injured in Disney bus crash

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating an accident on Walt Disney World property. Troopers say a Disney bus rear-ended a charter bus near the entrance to the Epcot theme park along Epcot Center Drive on Tuesday afternoon.   At least eight people were injured, one seriously.

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The charter bus was stopped in a through-lane near an Epcot toll plaza where visitors pay for parking when the driver of the Disney bus struck the charter bus. No passengers were on the charter bus. Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes says the charter  bus driver was outside of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

The driver of the Disney bus, identified as Jean valentine, 41, was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center in serious condition. Seven passengers on board the Disney bus were transported by ground to Florida Hospital Celebration Health and Dr. Phillips Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Seconds before a bus crash, Florida Highway Patrol investigators said Disney passengers saw the stopped charter bus in their lane on Epcot Center Drive, even though the driver of the bus did nothing to avoid hitting it.

Investigators said the driver of the Mears Charter bus, 57-year old Deborah Martin, of Ocoee, told investigator she thought something was wrong with her bus, so she chose to inspect it in the right travel turn lane around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. But a preliminary inspection of the charter bus by motorcade compliance investigators revealed no mechanical malfunction in either of the two buses.

Some of the seven tourists inside the Disney bus said Valentin did not see the stopped bus, seemingly distracted by a cell phone or radio. Troopers said there were no skid marks, indicating that the Disney driver didn't hit the brakes before the crash.

Investigators estimated the speed at the time of the collision between 30-35 miles per hour. Since there are no seat belts on these types of buses, the seven passengers inside were all injured after they flew out of their seats. Investigators are waiting to talk to Valentin before completing their investigation and filing traffic charges.

If you witnessed the accident and have information to share with us, please contact our newsroom at 407-741-5027.  If you have photos or video, you can upload them by clicking here .

FOX 35's Derrol Nail contributed to this report.