SCHOOL BUS CRASH
REPORTS 2007
Parents Sue Bus
Driver After Student Dies in School Bus Accident
January 27, 2007
BATON ROUGE, LA. — The
parents of a 5-year-old boy run over by a school bus have filed a
wrongful death lawsuit against the driver and the East Baton Rouge
Parish School Board.
Benito Miranda Lopez
and Nancy Miranda Gonzaga contend that Marco Miranda would not have been
killed on January 18 if the school system properly had supervised driver
Travis White and if he had been cautious enough.
It also accuses the
school system of failing to make sure the bus had a crossing arm — a
piece of metal or plastic that sticks out in front of the bumper at
stops, forcing children to cross several feet ahead of the bus so the
driver can see them. A number of states, including Illinois and
Wisconsin, require such devices on school buses.
Lopez and Gonzaga are
seeking damages for wrongful death and emotional distress.
Domoine Rutledge,
general counsel for the school system, said he could not comment on the
lawsuit Friday because he hadn’t seen it.
According to the
family’s lawsuit, the boy was trying to cross the street when the bus
“suddenly moved forward.”
School officials and
police are investigating what happened. No charges have been filed. The
school system has placed White on administrative leave, pending its own
investigation.
Randolph Piedrahita, an
attorney for the boy’s family, said the family wants to do its own
investigation and to see any evidence school officials might have.
The Associated Press
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Crash Reports 2007
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