Freak Bus Racing Accident Kills Florida Sheriff

This is an odd story:

Lake County's Sheriff Chris Daniels was killed Saturday night during a tragic accident at a charity event in Volusia County.

Sheriff Chris Daniels was killed at New Smyrna Speedway Saturday night during the 5th annual Battle of the Badges. In the event, top law enforcement officers from Central Florida race school buses to raise money for the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, hosted by Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson.

Daniels was celebrating his 47th birthday and competing with other area sheriffs in the event.

The accident happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, when Sheriff Daniels was competing in the school bus race. According to our partners at the Daytona Beach News-Journal, witnesses say Daniels was racing a bus that was hit by Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger. Daniels then reportedly got out of the bus and was hit by another bus and killed. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

After the crash, the race was stopped and everyone was told to evacuate the speedway.

This was Daniels' first time participating in the race.

A lot of tracks stage celebrity bus races like this fairly regularly, but I've never heard of a fatality. That was a real freak deal.