A school bus crash in Boulder County, Colorado, has injured the driver and five of the eight children on board. According to the Colorado State Patrol, the rollover accident occurred around 4 p.m. in the St. Vrain Canyon area on Colorado 7.
The students, who were between the ages of 7 and 15, did not suffer life-threatening injuries. However, two students were reported to have had serious injuries. All of the injured students and the driver were taken to Longmont United Hospital for treatment. The students who weren’t injured were taken to meet their parents at Lyons High School.
After the driver received medical treatment and was released from the hospital, she was arrested for suspicion of driving while under the influence of drugs, two counts of vehicular assault, five counts of careless driving with injury and nine counts of child abuse. The 39-year-old woman was taken to the Boulder County Jail.
When parents put their children on a school bus, they trust the driver to be free of the influences of alcohol and/or drugs. This bus crash could have resulted in all the children suffering serious injuries or could have even involved fatalities. The woman is facing criminal charges. However, she will likely face a civil liability for personal injury as well. The driver’s employer may also be held liable.
Determining liability is one of the first steps in proceeding with a civil lawsuit. While criminal charges aren’t required against the negligent or reckless party at fault, it can help solidify a personal injury case. An attorney can give you more information about pursuing compensation.
Source: The Denver Post, “Driver arrested after school bus crash in Boulder County,” Kieran Nicholson, Dec. 07, 2015