EUSTIS, Fla. (WSVN) — A Florida school bus driver is being hailed as a hero for her quick actions in helping to save the life of a hit-and-run victim.
On Oct. 23, Stacy Hatcher found Abigail Stevens injured on the road while returning from a field trip with Eustis High School band members, a day she typically wouldn’t be driving.
“I thought it was a prank for Halloween, you know, that someone would do to put someone in the road to kind of scare someone, which it did scare me,” said Hatcher. “So when I saw her, I immediately put my bus in park, and I brightened my lights, and what made me know it was a real body — I saw blood running alongside the road where she was laying, and I immediately called 911.”
Hatcher said she used her bus to block off traffic and clear the scene for rescue crews. As she recounted the experience, Hatcher shared her deep faith.
“I believe I was God’s sent Angel, l chosen vessel to save her life,” she said. “I love God and I serve him. And I’m glad he chose me, thought enough of me to be the one to save Abigail’s life.”
While the investigation is ongoing, authorities are seeking leads to identify the hit-and-run driver who left Stevens for dead.
“So I just hope that they will turn themselves in soon so we can get some closure for Abigail and her family. And me as well,” said Hatcher.
Stevens remains in critical condition, battling over 20 broken bones and being placed back on a ventilator, as confirmed by her sister. The family has set up a GoFundMe page for Stevens’ medical expenses. The person responsible for her injuries is still at large, police said.
Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for a white “passenger vehicle” believed to have been involved in the hit-and-run.
According to the Eustis Police Department, the vehicle involved in this incident is an older model white passenger car with a black body molding strip across the front and rear passenger doors, and little-to-no tint on the windows.
To assist the investigation, individuals with information regarding the incident are encouraged to contact the Eustis Police Department at (352) 357-4121.
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