The Arkansas State Police believe that speeding and driver negligence led to the deadly charter bus crash that killed a 9-year-old boy from Memphis, Tennessee late last year.
Orange Mound Youth Football Team Bus Flipped at Least 20 Times
The Orange Mound Youth Association Football Team was returning to Memphis after an all-star game in Texas on December 3rd, when their charter bus suddenly careened off I-30 around 2:30 a.m.
According to several passengers, the bus flipped at least 20 times downhill before coming to rest in a drainage ditch.
The 9-year-old boy died at the scene.
Forty-five people, including dozens of children, suffered injuries ranging from minor lacerations to skull fractures and other broken bones.
Charter Bus Driver Was “Inattentive, Careless, Negligent, or Erratic”
According to a report released earlier this month by the Arkansas State Police, the driver was speeding when the bus crashed
The report also characterizes her behavior behind the wheel as “inattentive, careless, negligent, or erratic.”
Although she did apply the brakes just before the vehicle left the road, the bus failed to stop in time.
Tennessee Charter Bus Company Fined Twice Before Arkansas Crash
The charter bus involved in the Orange Mound football team crash belongs to Scott Shuttle Services of Somerville, Tennessee.
According to media reports, the company operates 5 vehicles and has 7 employees.
The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has fined Scott Shuttle Services twice since 2015.
Last July, the agency cited the company for an improperly licensed driver. That violation resulted in a $3,490.00 fine.
In 2015, the FMCSA fined Scott Shuttle Services $3,250.00 for failing to produce annual vehicle inspection records.
Greyhound Bus Driver Charged with DUI After Mississippi Crash
Unfortunately, this is not the first time police have questioned a bus driver’s conduct after a serious accident.
Earlier this month, for example, a Greyhound bus driver was arrested for DUI, after a crash along I-55 South in Jackson, Mississippi sent 22 passengers to area hospitals.
Jackson Police made the arrest shortly after the Greyhound driver underwent a breathalyzer test at the scene.
According to witnesses, she also appeared disoriented and stumbled at the Jackson bus terminal the night of the accident. Yet she was allowed to take the wheel of the Greyhound bus, which overturned less than 2 miles from the station.
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Driver in Pennsylvania Charter Bus Crash Faces Criminal Charges
In November, the Pennsylvania State Police filed more than 30 criminal charges against the driver of a Big Red Bullet Bus that overturned along I-380 South, tragically killing a 21-year-old woman from California.
According to police, the victim actually texted 911 to report the driver’s erratic behavior just moments before the October 11th crash.
The accident seriously injured several other passengers, including one person who suffered a broken neck
The bus driver stated that he had fallen asleep just before the crash. A police affidavit, however, indicates that he later tested positive for cocaine.
The driver is awaiting trial on charges that include homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and aggravated assault.
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