VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A Volusia County employee was killed Monday morning in a fiery crash involving a Votran bus and a county utility truck near Daytona Beach, officials said.
The fatal crash was reported around 8 a.m. on International Speedway Boulevard near Indian Lake Road, west of I-4 and I-95.
[TRENDING: Manatees dying at alarming rate | Latest on Fla. condo tower collapse | Is it legal to drive barefoot?]
“I literally ran to the door and I saw the bus and then the city truck literally both on fire,” Racha Stevenson said.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, a 52-year-old South Daytona man later identified by Volusia County officials as Tim Swiger, a tradesworker for Volusia County’s Facility Management Division, was driving the truck east when he failed to slow down and struck the back of the bus, which was stopped in the right lane to allow passengers off.
The utility truck caught fire, and Swiger was pronounced dead at the scene, the FHP said.
Stevenson lives nearby the scene of the crash and called 911 as her fiance tried to help the driver.
“We tried to smash the windows and let the air out, because he was a little too much clogged up with smoke inside,” Stevenson said. “When you see it. He’s right there, still with you alive, trying as much as he can to actually fight for his life and he was fighting for his life and we tried. We really tried.”
Fourteen of the 15 bus passengers were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, troopers said. The bus driver, a 62-year-old Ormond Beach woman, suffered minor injuries, the FHP report said.
International Speedway Boulevard was closed in both directions in the area, but westbound lanes were later reopened.
“God be with his (the victim’s) family. I’m hoping that God will be with his family,” Stevenson said.
County officials said in a news release Monday afternoon that Swiger had been a member of their staff and “true asset” to his division since 2000.
“He was a great person,” said Facility Management Director Jim Corbett. “He always had a smile on his face and was well-liked throughout the county.”
According to the release, Swiger was a skilled carpenter who specialized in cabinetry, framing and special projects. They said he enjoyed what he did and took pride in his work.
They also offered their condolences to Swiger’s loved ones.
“We are extremely shocked and deeply saddened by Tim’s death,” said County Manager George Recktenwald. “Our immediate concern is for the safety and welfare of his family and our employees. We are here for his family and loved ones, as well as his colleagues and other county employees who are understandably shaken up by the incident. This is such a shocking tragedy, and all of us are still processing today’s events. As we grieve the loss of one of our own, together we are supporting our entire county family at this difficult time.”
The county has mobilized its critical incident stress management team and additional resources through its employee assistance program to help provide emotional support to staff members impacted by Swiger’s death, officials said in a news release.
County officials said they’re unable to comment on the crash at this time, as they’re the subject of a law enforcement investigation.
No other details have been released.
We’re on the scene of #BreakingNews in Volusia County. The driver of a work truck is dead after crashing into the back of a Votran public transit bus. International Speedway Blvd is shutdown between LPGA Blvd and Red John Dr. https://t.co/z7uSrCwd5n pic.twitter.com/SUUWyVlS2e
— Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) June 28, 2021