Lake Minneola High School student hit, killed by school bus: officials

CLERMONT, Fla. - A 17-year-old student at Lake Minneola High School died after being struck by a school bus Monday morning, the Florida Highway Patrol and Lake County Schools said.

Troopers said the crash happened shortly before 7 a.m. near the entrance to the school at N. Hancock Road and Fox Trail Avenue in Clermont. The teenager was rushed to South Lake Hospital where he died, FHP said. 

The district identified the student as 17-year-old Sherman Vannoy, a senior. 

"This is just a difficult day all the way around, and so we appreciate the community support and patience," said Sherri Owens with Lake County Public Schools. "We know it was a difficult morning for everybody trying to get their kids to school this morning and wondering what was going on, but of course, we wanted to make sure that we spoke to the family first and that we talked to our students and teachers before we made a public announcement."

Troopers said the teenager was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk of Hancock Road, approaching a stop sign at the intersection, when he entered a marked crosswalk. 

The school bus driver – identified as a 78-year-old woman – was traveling southbound on Hancock Road near Fox Trail Avenue in the left turn lane. Troopers said the driver saw the teen in the crosswalk and attempted to swerve to the left, but ended up striking the teen.

SKYFOX video Monday morning showed what appeared to be the crash site. The school bus was off the road and partially stopped in a grassy area. A bicycle was seen lying in the roadway next to the bus while emergency officials could be spotted.

A 17-year-old student at Lake Minneola High School was hit by a school bus on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, the Florida Highway Patrol and Lake County Schools said.

A dad and daughter duo are devastated by the crash and want to do something about it. Aliya Erhardt, a first-year student at Lake Minneola, made a custom shirt for Vannoy. Aliya was on another school bus when she passed by Monday’s scene. Even though the two didn’t know each other, it was incredibly hard to see, and she felt compelled to honor him with a shirt.

"This shirt is a representation for him, the SV is his name, Sherman Vannoy, and 23 is representing the year that he died, but also the year he became a senior," said Aliya.

Aliya Erhardt was devastated by a crash that killed a Lake Minneola High School student and want to do something about it. Erhardt, a first-year student at Lake Minneola, made a custom shirt for Vannoy. 

Her dad, Sean, was also devastated and wanted to do something.

"Well, it really just hit close to home, we live right down the road, I know a lot of the kids that go to school, and I actually experienced this back when I was in high school too, and it really does affect the student body as a whole," said Sean, who is in the process of starting a parent-student volunteer group to provide crosswalk guards in the area.

A spokesperson for the district said the bus driver was hired by the district in November 2021.

"This has been an incredibly difficult day for all of us, including the bus driver, and she is distraught, as you might imagine she would be," Owens added.

The bus driver and one passenger who was on the bus at the time of the incident were not injured.