DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - A church community is breathing a collective sigh of relief, hours after 18 people sustained minor injuries when a school bus barely avoided a dangerous crash on Interstate 595 in Davie.
Hundreds gathered for a service Friday night at West Pines Community Church in Pembroke Pines.
Hours after the wreck, students who were on the bus said they’re grateful the impact wasn’t worse.
“It was scary, man. I was super nervous,” said bus passenger Teo Antonelo. “I mean, I’m just happy I’m alive, honestly.”
Florida Highway Patrol troopers and Davie Fire Rescue units responded to the scene in the eastbound lanes, just west of Davie Road, Friday, at around 8 a.m.
Officials said the school bus driver slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a car that had just rear-ended another vehicle in front.
School bus passenger Brenda Rosario described the frightening moments.
“Somebody had hit somebody in the back, and then that caused that car to spin out of control,” she said.
Surveillance video captured a silver Chrysler 300 spinning just before the school bus is seen braking right behind the two cars.
“The car spun, and what it looked like was the front end of that car was coming towards the bus,” said Rosario, “so it would have been a head-on [collision].”
Speaking with 7News after Friday night’s service, a concerned mother said she is thankful the outcome was not more dire.
“It looks like the devil was at work, and he didn’t stop us, didn’t stop those kids,” said Kathy Vazquez. “Those kids just kept on going.”
The group of students were part of a youth group at the church. They were on a mission trip to do volunteer work to build greenhouses at a children’s group home.
“We were coming out to serve the community,” said Rosario.
About 50 people were on the bus at the time of the accident, and a total of 18 passengers – 14 minors and four adults – were injured.
“There are some that did get away with a couple of injuries. A couple of our leaders as well,” said Woodney Elas, who works at the church, “but they’re right there by the praise of God and thanking God for His mercy and being safe throughout the whole thing.”
7News spoke with the driver of the Chrysler, who identified himself as Angel.
“Somebody came from the back and hit me and ran away,” he said. “Nobody can find that guy now.”
Angel’s car stopped just before hitting the bus.
Rosario said it was a very close call.
“Just on impact, immediately pushed forward and back, and it had an impact on us,” she said.
“We had to take a moment to, like, take it in,” said Antonelo, “and there were, like, three or four cars outside just destroyed.”
Several of the passengers were taken to Broward Health Medical Center and other area hospitals, but authorities noted that none of the injuries were serious.
Staff from the church also rushed to the scene to check on their students.
“We were worried. That’s why we came down here,” said Joshua Slautterbach.
“We had to get to the scene as soon as possible and make sure our students were OK,” said Elas, “not just our students, but there are students that aren’t in our tribe, and we want to make sure they’re OK, too. They’re children. They’re not really adept to stuff like this, and they have enough going on. School’s about to start, they’re already nervous about that, and we just want to make sure that they’re not only safe, but their minds are calm and collected.”
Students on the bus shot cellphone video showing rescue crews at the scene.
As the FHP continues to investigate the crash, bus passengers said they’re grateful everyone is OK.
Rosario credited a higher power for the outcome.
“No matter what bumps and bruises we might have gotten, He saves and He heals, and He did that for us,” she said.
Speaking to congregants Friday night, a church official said the people in that bus were being watched over.
“Many of you are shaken, feeling some aches and some pains, some bumps, some bruises, but in the end, someone was saying, ‘Look, I saw what happened,'” he said. “All I can say is, there was an angel there watching over this whole moment on 595.”
There is no word from officials as what caused the crash.
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