School Bus Driver Arrested on Charges of DUI

Countless parents across Maricopa County count on and rely upon school buses and their drivers to get their children to and from school every day. And those same parents should be able to rest assured, knowing that their kids’ safety is important and that the need for safe transit is both recognized and appreciate by individual school districts who operate the busing systems.

Yet unfortunately, that is not always the case. School bus accidents happen every single year in Phoenix and often result in injuries to those young children on board. The worst part is that the kids who are hurt are innocent victims in these crashes – nothing that they did or failed to do contributed to the crash, and they often had no choice but to trust their safety to an operator of a bus.

A frightening example of a school bus trip gone wrong is making headlines out of California right now and is serving as a reminder to Valley parents of just what to watch out for when it comes to their kids’ safety. In the California incident, highway patrol officers have confirmed that the operator of a school bus transporting 28 children was pulled over and arrested on charges including driving under the influence of alcohol. The bus reportedly was spotted stopped, blocking through traffic across a road while taking children home in Napa County. Early indications suggest that the 24-year-old driver tried to turn the bus around on the road but got the vehicle stuck, leading the bus to block the roadway and officials to respond to the scene. Once there, officers noticed signs of possible impairment and made the arrest.

In addition to a charge of driving under the influence, the bus operator is also facing at least one count of child endangerment.

At this time, there is no indication that any children on board were injured in the incident nor were others nearby. Yet far too often, the result of a school bus incident is much grimmer and may cause children to seek medical treatment or even to suffer permanent harm.

If your child was hurt in a school bus collision in Maricopa County or if your family was affected by a crash, know that you may be entitled to financial compensation for all of your damages, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, scarring, and emotional harm. For information about your legal options, call the personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today where we offer all accident victims a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation whenever it is convenient for them. With a lawyer standing by 24 hour a day, seven days a week and a legal team that is dedicated to fighting for victims’ rights, know that you will be treated with care when you call our firm.

The right to seek relief following a school bus accident may be guaranteed but must be initiated within a time period specified by law. For that reason, make sure you do not wait if a crash has happened to your child. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. today toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 and let us fight for you.

Prior Blog Entry:

Updated Proposed for Crash Test Ratings in America, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published December 10, 2015.

Resource:

School Bus Driver Arrested on DUI While Taking 28 Kids Home, HuffingtonPost.com/AP, published December 12, 2015.