A Florida man, Qahiem Williams, 23, allegedly fled a traffic stop and crashed head-on into a school bus carrying 19 children before abandoning his vehicle and fleeing on foot, authorities reported.

The incident occurred around 7:20 a.m. on Tuesday, August 27, 2026, when a deputy conducting school-zone traffic enforcement in front of The Villages Intermediate Center in Sumter County spotted Williams driving 17 mph over the speed limit on County Road 466 near Tatonka Terrace.

The deputy initiated a traffic stop by making a U-turn and activating emergency lights, but Williams accelerated, sideswiping two vehicles at a traffic light. The collisions damaged the axle of Williams' vehicle, causing him to collide head-on with a Sumter County school bus on County Road 103.

All 19 children aboard the bus were reported safe and uninjured by the Sumter County Sheriff's Office. Video footage captured the crash and police body camera footage showed a deputy chasing and arresting Williams.

Williams was taken into custody and faces multiple charges, including fleeing or eluding, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana, leaving the scene of a crash, resisting an officer, hit-and-run, and a moving traffic violation.

Authorities emphasized the seriousness of the incident. A spokesperson stated, "I have zero tolerance when it comes to actions that put our children's lives in danger," and noted, "This suspect has a history of this type of behavior and our community is safer with him off our streets."

Sources