A deer jumped through the windshield of a RIPTA bus traveling on Warwick Avenue Monday, injuring three passengers.

The incident happened near the intersection with Sachem Avenue near the Cranston/Warwick city line, where a deer leapt from the side of the road and through the bus windshield, smashing the glass and sending it flying toward passengers. The bus was traveling from Kennedy Plaza to Oakland Beach, according to RIPTA Director of Communications Cristy Raposo Perry.

Three passengers were injured, with two transported to the hospital by a Warwick Rescue unit and a third drove to a hospital. None of the injuries were considered to be major. The deer, however, died. The bus was carrying six passengers at the time of the crash.

The driver, Leocadio Hernandez, received praise from RIPTA interim CEO Christopher Durand for handling the unusual situation, saying that his actions were “exemplary.” No other vehicles were involved in the incident.

“His exceptional alertness and composure under pressure ensured the safety of all passengers,” Durand stated. “This incident underscores the dedication and professionalism of our drivers in maintaining the highest standards of safety and care for our community.”

The Warwick Police Department and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) responded to the incident.

“It was a bizarre, once-in-a-lifetime type of accident,” said Warwick Police Maj. Andrew Sullivan.

DEM Public Affairs Programming Services Officer Evan LaCross said that by the time the DEM arrived on the scene, the deer had already died. The deer did not show any signs of rabies, according to LaCross.

According to LaCross, there were 1,347 collisions between vehicles and deer in the Ocean State in 2023. Those collisions tend to happen most frequently during deer breeding season, from October through December.