Adinaluz Guadalupe Prieto Oyola Obituary: 16-Year-Old Winter Haven High School Student Dies in Polk County Crash
Adinaluz Guadalupe Prieto Oyola, a 16-year-old sophomore at Winter Haven High School, has died following a devastating crash in Polk County, Florida, that also claimed the life of another driver and left numerous students injured.
Adinaluz was among 37 students traveling to school Monday morning when a Chevrolet Malibu crossed the center line and collided with their school bus. The force of the crash caused a tire to be torn from the bus and sent into the opposite lane, where it was involved in a head-on collision with a Jeep before the bus overturned.
Multiple students were transported to hospitals for treatment following the crash. The driver of the Jeep was identified as Deshaun Smith, who also died in the collision.
For Adinaluz, the morning had begun with excitement. She had been looking forward to her first cheerleading practice and another day with her friends and classmates. Instead, the crash abruptly ended the life of a teenager whose family said had much more ahead of her.
In the immediate aftermath of the collision, several of Adinaluz’s classmates reportedly tried to help her. Four students were said to have made desperate efforts to assist with the rescue from the overturned bus. According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, one student stayed beside Adinaluz and told her that he would not leave her.
The bus driver was also pinned following the crash but eventually managed to free herself. She then began helping students escape from the damaged bus.
Adinaluz was remembered by her family as a loving and joyful teenager who was always willing to help others. She was a daughter, friend and classmate whose life was filled with plans, friendships and experiences that were still unfolding.
Her death has left her family, classmates and the wider Winter Haven community grieving. The efforts of her classmates to remain with her during the aftermath have also become part of the heartbreaking account of the tragedy, reflecting the close bonds among the students who experienced the crash together.
Adinaluz’s loved ones are asking for prayers and support as they cope with her death. Her family, classmates and everyone affected by the Polk County crash continue to mourn a young life lost far too soon.
The crash also brought tragedy to the family of Deshaun Smith, who died in the collision. Two families are now facing the loss of loved ones as investigators and the community continue to process the circumstances of the devastating crash.
