Pickup driver facing DUI charges in Florida bus crash that killed 8 farm workers, injured over 40

A driver of a pickup truck has been arrested on DUI manslaughter charges after a rollover crash involving a bus carrying farm workers in Florida left eight people dead and over 40 others injured Tuesday morning, officials said.

The crash happened around 6:30 a.m. on West Highway 40 near Ocala in Marion County.

Florida Highway Patrol officials said the crash involved a 2010 International Bus transporting 53 farm workers and a 2001 Ford Ranger pickup truck.

Marion County Fire Rescue officials said eight people were killed, and another eight were critically injured.

Another 37 people suffered non-life threatening injuries, officials said. The driver of the pickup was among those hospitalized, officials said.

Later Tuesday, FHP troopers arrested the driver of the pickup, Bryan Maclean Howard, on eight counts of DUI manslaughter, officials said.

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FHP officials said the two vehicles collided in a sideswipe manner, which caused the bus to travel off the roadway and through a fence before it overturned.

"We are conducting a massive traffic homicide investigation," FHP Lt. Pat Riordan told reporters at a news conference Tuesday. "This will be a very long and lengthy and thorough investigation."

Riordan said the workers were on their way to a local farm when the crash happened.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods called the incident "a tragedy" and said his heart goes out to the family members of the victims.

"This is the death that you do not expect from your family members," Woods said. "This is the death that is a shock to you and it's going to be hard on them and rightfully so because they just lost a loved one. My heart pleads for them."

Officials haven't released the identities of the victims. No other information was immediately known.

Check back with NBC6 for updates.