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A driver will likely be ticketed for crashing into a Walt Disney World Bus.Troopers say the car was trying to make a u-turn outside Fort Wilderness on Sunday, when it hit the bus on Sunday April 19th 2010.
None of the 30 passengers on the bus were injured.The crash is the latest of several recent accidents involving Disney buses this year, including one that killed a 9-year-old boy.
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Orlando Sentinel Reporting
A Disney bus driver has been charged with careless driving after two passenger vehicles were struck by the bus shortly before noon on Saturday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, bus driver Fredrick Cassens, 81, of Auburndale struck the back of a 2009 Chevy sport utility vehicle after failing to see that the car was stopped at a stoplight. That impact caused the Chevy to hit the back of a 1999 GMC van, also a Disney vehicle.
An initial check of Cassens’ driving record indicates only one infraction, a 2004 charge of failing to obey a traffic-control device in Osceola County. He admitted guilt and paid a fine.
The accident occurred at East Buena Vista Drive and World Drive.
There are no reports of injuries, and WESH.com is reporting that 19 people were on board the Disney bus.
The crash is the third such event on the theme park’s property in the past two weeks, the most recent involving 9-year-old Chase Brubaker of Pinellas County, who was killed Thursday after his bicycle drifted into the side of a Disney bus at Fort Wilderness Resort.
Action ABC News Reporting
Three vehicles were involved in Saturday’s crash, including a Disney bus and a Disney van. The accident happened just before noon on East Buena Vista Drive and World Drive.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the Disney bus rear-ended an SUV driven by an Ohio man which was then pushed into a Disney van. The SUV and the Disney van were stopped at a stop light.
There were reportedly 19 passengers on board the bus, according to WFTV.
The driver of the Disney bus, 81-year-old Frederick Cassens of Auburndale, was charged with careless driving.
A short time ago, Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort, delivered a statement concerning today’s bus incident. Here is her statement:
“This afternoon, we experienced a tragic accident on our property.
We are deeply saddened by what happened and are doing everything we can to provide resources and support to the family. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol and we are working closely with them to gather the facts.
Our hearts and prayers go out to the family, and all of our Cast Members join me in extending our deepest sympathies.”
Despite being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world with millions of visitors every year, Disney World has had a very low number of serious accidents and fatalities on site.
Aug. 22, 1989: A 29-year-old jogger was seriously injured on Walt Disney World property when he ran in front of a truck.
Feb. 8, 1990: A worker was killed at Disney Hollywood Studios when he fell 33 feet to his death from a scaffold while working on an air-conditioning duct.
Feb. 8, 1990: In an unrelated accident, three tourists were injured when three sets of cars in the Space Mountain roller coaster at Walt Disney World’s Disney World Magic Kingdom abruptly stopped because the computer detected a faulty wheel and automatically halted the system.
Feb. 6, 1990: Five tourists suffered minor injuries when pieces of molding fell from the ceiling of the Haunted Mansion attraction at Walt Disney World’s Disney World Magic Kingdom.
Aug. 18, 1994: A 6-year-old girl was badly injured when she became pinned between a boat and boarding dock at the It’s a Small World ride at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. The girl suffered collapsed lungs, a broken rib and a broken arm.
Dec. 31, 1999: Six people were burned when fireworks at Disney World’s New Year’s Eve festivities exploded near them.
June 13, 2005: A 4-year-old boy died of a heart attack after riding the Mission: Space ride at Epcot.
April 11, 2006: A 49-year-old woman became ill after riding Mission: Space at Walt Disney World’s Epcot. She was taken to a nearby hospital and died the next day.
Dec. 18, 2007: A 44-year-old man visiting Walt Disney World died after apparently suffering a heart attack on the Expedition Everest roller coaster in Animal Kingdom. No heart defibrillators were immediately available in the area.
July 5, 2009: A 21-year-old monorail driver was killed when his train crashed into another monorail because of a track change malfunction. This was the first fatal accident involving a monorail in the resort’s 38-year history.
Aug. 6, 2009: A 47-year-old Disney performer was injured during Captain Jack’s Pirate Tutorial show at Disney World. He succumbed to his injuries and died a few days later.
Aug. 17, 2009: A stuntman at Disney’s Hollywood Studios died after suffering a head injury while practicing a tumbling roll during a rehearsal for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular show.
Oct. 31, 2009: A 4-year-old girl was injured at Disney’s Fort Wilderness resort when a golf cart she was riding in overturned.
March 14, 2010: A Walt Disney World employee broke his leg after he was struck by a guest driving a car at the Tomorrowland Speedway in the Magic Kingdom.
March 23, 2010: Eight people were injured, one seriously, because of a crash between a Disney bus and Waldorf-Astoria bus near Epcot.
April 1, 2010: A 10-year-old boy was hit and killed by a bus while riding his bike at Disney’s Fort Wilderness.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in yesterday’s tragedy.
Driver Jean Valentin crashed into the rear of a parked Mears bus at the entrance to the Epcot parking lot.
The other driver had parked the empty bus in the roadway after she said she heard a stange noise and got out to inspect it.
Florida Highway Patrol says that driver’s action was a contributing factor to the crash, but no tickets were issued.
Valentin had to be cut out of the cab of the bus and seven passengers were taken to local hospitals for check ups of mostly minor injuries.
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