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2 Adults Die In Collision With Polk County School Bus

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2008

Updated: 01/07/2008 04:05 pm

BARTOW - An early morning wreck involving a Polk County school bus resulted in two fatalities, but no students were injured.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers responded to the 7:38 a.m. wreck today on Alturas Loop Road near Hurley Road. Trooper Larry Coggins, a highway patrol spokesman, had no information.
The highway patrol Web site says the road is blocked but has no other details.

Polk County sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers said the bus was northbound on Hurley Road and was turning onto Alturas Loop Road when a silver Buick Century, heading south on Alturas Loop, crossed into the path of the bus.

Rodgers said the bus had the right of way.

There were five people in the Buick, she said. Three were injured and two were killed.

Maria Ramos-Lopez, 48, 310 Eloise Loop Road, Wahneta, and Marcos Adrian-Diaz, 21, address unavailable, were dead at the scene, authorities said.

A man and a woman who were treated at Bartow Regional Medical Center but not admitted were identified as the driver, Felipe Chavez, 21, 107 Ninth St. W., Wahneta, and Esperanda Gabriel, 42, 310 Eloise Loop Road.

Maria Chavez-Martinez, 23, of 107 Ninth St., W., Wahneta, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center and was in critical but stable condition, Rodgers said. Chavez-Martinez is the driver's sister.

No charges were immediately filed.

Heather McClanahan, spokeswoman for Polk County Emergency Services, said the two people who died were riding in the right side of the car.

The three who were transported were taken by ambulance, she said.

The students on the bus attend Roosevelt Academy, McLaughlin Middle School and Polk Avenue Elementary School, she said.

Polk County school transportation department officials said the intersection is dangerous because there is no sign on Alturas Loop warning southbound drivers to yield to traffic merging from Hurley onto Alturas Loop.

None of the 13 people on the bus, including 11 students, the driver and an attendant, was injured, he said.

All were taken to school on another bus, he said.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached t (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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