Lynx bus driver dead, another injured after one bus crashes into another, police say

ORLANDO, Fla. — One Lynx bus rear-ended another, crushing and killing a driver standing between the two.

The bus that was broken down didn't have its hazards on, officials said.

Late Friday afternoon, Orlando police announced it doesn't expect to charge the driver who caused that crash overnight.

He was released from the hospital today.

The crash happened not far from the bus yard  on West Princeton Street, east of John Young Parkway.
Union officials said this crash didn't need to happen.

The union president said that bus was supposed to be on hold and it has broken down on other drivers and needed a jump out in the field.

Officials also said Lynx is in talks about issuing reflective vests to bus drivers.

"The first bus just died out and there was no reflective,” said union president, Ismael Rivera.

The driver of that bus, 59-year-old Prosper Nazaire, got out and went to the back of the vehicle near the engine compartment, according to Rivera.

Rivera said there was little notice something was wrong when the second bus came around.

"From my understanding the other bus coming around didn't see anybody there and at the last minute,” Rivera said. “You know these buses don't stop on a dime. He collided with the other bus."

Nazaire was pronounced dead on the scene.

The second driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The union said there was no airbag because these buses don't have them.

Rivera thinks better safety rules may have prevented this.

“We shouldn't be in the back trying to do somebody else’s job and the other is I think that we need some kind of protective vest, Rivera said. “If we're going to go outside of the bus and do something like what we were asked to do then we need better protection."

A statement released by Lynx called the crash an "unimaginable tragedy," and "we are providing grief counselors for all employees as we all grieve together."

A request for Lynx's safety procedures and policies, as well as questions about the buses maintenance history went unanswered.

Rivera said Prosper started working for Lynx in February of 2017. Also adding he was trying to get time off work to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Lynx spokesperson, Matt Friedman, released the following statement:

"Today the LYNX family experienced an unimaginable tragedy. We are grieving one of our own as two of our buses were involved in an accident this morning killing one of our drivers.  LYNX is cooperating with the Orlando Police Department during the ongoing investigation.  We are providing grief counselors for all employees as we all grieve together."

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Channel 9 for live updates.

Cox Media Group