Eight people died while 10 others were injured after a church van ran through a stop sign and crashed into a canal in southwest Florida on Monday.

Altogether, 18 people were in a 15-seat van when it ran through a stop sign, crossed all lanes of U.S. 27 and drove into a canal around 12:30 a.m. in Glades County.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Gregory S. Bueno confirmed that the driver, 58-year-old Volsaint Marsaille, had died along with seven passengers identified as Jude Petit-Frere, 66, Obernise Petit-Frere, 58, Lifaite Lochard, 57, Madeleine William, 56, Wanie Larose, 60, Dazilla Joseph, 79, and Servilus Dieudonne, 71, all of Fort Pierce, reports CBS 12 News.

Officials say the van drove into an 8-foot to 10-foot embankment before landing in the canal, which is surrounded by grass and weeds.

"They didn't see that stop sign. They shot right through it," Glades County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Duane Pottorff said, according to Fox News. "It was a sad evening."

Friends and family at the accident scene told Fox 4 that the group was returning home from the Eglise De Dieu La Jerusalem Celeste church in Fort Myers to their home church, the Independent Haitian Assembly of God in Fort Pierce.

"It's heartbreaking" said Dina Sarver, who is friends with the church members in the van. "Because it is so many of us. You know there are people there at the church waiting, we're two hours away, it was supposed to be a simple go, have fun, come back. It just didn't turn out to be like that."

Bueno said that neither weather nor alcohol was a factor in the crash.

A 4-year-old child, who has been listed as in serious condition, is among the survivors.

Another survivor, Nicholas Alexis, said that he was sitting near three men who died during the accident. Alexis added that he kicked out a window in order to escape.

"I just know there is a God," said Alexis.

Church pastor Esperant Lexine, 57, was also injured in the crash, said his 23-year-old daughter, adding that her father had suffered internal bleeding.

In addition, a 48-year-old man named Nozaire Nore suffered from a broken leg in the crash.