A bus driver in Tampa, Florida, watched an SUV run a red light and followed it into the intersection. But there was one big difference. The SUV turned right, while the bus went straight.
Moments later, a Tampa police cruiser was upside down, and a white Dodge Charger had been pushed off the road. The Charger driver was stopped in traffic when the crash reached his car.
The crash happened around 9 a.m. on October 24, 2026, at North 34th Street and East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It involved a Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) bus, a police cruiser, and the Dodge Charger.
Several people were hurt, including the police officer. After looking into the crash, the Tampa Police Department shared its findings on October 26.
Follow The Leader?
The HART bus was heading south on North 34th Street when it stopped behind an SUV at a red light. Both vehicles were in the straight-through lane.
When the SUV turned right, the bus driver moved forward, too. But the bus kept going straight, even though the light was still red.
At the same time, a Tampa police officer was driving east on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. He had a green light and the right-of-way when the bus hit the rear driver’s-side wheel area of his cruiser.
The crash spun the police car around until it faced north. It then flipped upside down and struck the stopped Dodge Charger. The force pushed the Dodge onto the sidewalk, where it hit a low brick wall.
Left In The Wreckage
The officer had been with the Tampa Police Department for 12 years. He was alone in his cruiser when the bus hit, and was then taken to a hospital.
Doctors treated the officer for injuries to his head and neck, and he was later sent home. Two adults on the bus also went to a hospital to be checked. Both were released, and neither had serious injuries.
The Charger driver hurt his leg but, thankfully, did not need to go to the hospital. He was treated at the scene.
The Wrong Signal
Police first shared news of the crash on October 24. At that point, officers were still working to find out what caused it.
Two days later, they confirmed the bus had run a red light, and the police officer had the right of way when the bus struck his cruiser.
The bus driver was given a ticket for failing to obey a traffic signal.