A Florida man, Bryan Maclean Howard, has been charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter after he sideswiped a bus carrying Mexican farmworkers, killing eight and injuring many more. Howard admitted to smoking marijuana oil and taking prescription drugs the night before the deadly crash. His bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, and failed sobriety tests led to his arrest for DUI. He claimed to have crashed his mother’s car into a tree a few days earlier, and was driving to a methadone clinic when the collision occurred. The bus carrying the farmworkers careened off the road and overturned after being hit by Howard’s truck.
The eight people killed in the crash were in the U.S. from Mexico on H-2A farmworker visas. Dozens of others were injured and remained hospitalized. The victims have been identified as Evarado Ventura Hernández, Cristian Salazar Villeda, Alfredo Tovar Sánchez, Isaías Miranda Pascal, José Heriberto Fraga Acosta, and Manuel Pérez Ríos. Howard’s driving record includes multiple crashes and traffic tickets dating back to 2006. His license has been suspended at least three times, with the latest suspension in 2021 for receiving too many citations within a year. In 2013, he was convicted of grand theft and his probation was revoked in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported that Howard confessed to taking two anti-seizure drugs, medication for high blood pressure, and smoking marijuana oil the night before the crash. Howard mentioned that he woke up five hours later and drove to a methadone clinic for his daily medication. He also mentioned crashing his mother’s car into a tree a few days prior to the fatal collision. Howard faces charges of DUI manslaughter and has pleaded not guilty, being held without bond. After failing multiple sobriety tests, he was arrested for DUI. The bus carrying the farmworkers overturned after the collision.
The tragic crash in Marion County, Florida, left eight Mexican farmworkers dead and dozens injured. The farmworkers were in the U.S. on H-2A farmworker visas, working at a watermelon farm. The victims have been identified, with six of them being named in reports. Howard’s involvement in the crash has shed light on his prior driving record, including multiple crashes and traffic violations. His license has been suspended multiple times, with the latest suspension in 2021 for excessive citations within a year. Howard’s history of convictions, including grand theft and substance abuse violations, raises concerns about his actions leading to the fatal collision.
The devastating collision involving Howard’s pickup truck and the bus carrying Mexican farmworkers has raised questions about the safety of roads in Florida. The tragic loss of life and injuries to numerous individuals highlight the consequences of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Howard’s admission to using marijuana oil and prescription drugs before the crash emphasizes the need for stricter enforcement of DUI laws and more stringent penalties for offenders. The crash has left a community grieving the loss of beloved family members and friends, and calls attention to the dangers of impaired driving. Authorities are working to ensure justice is served for the victims and their families, while also addressing the broader issue of road safety in the state.
