Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

The National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB), an independent agency of the federal government, has launched an investigation into the cause of the fatal Missouri school bus accident in 2010. The 2010 Missouri school bus accident involved two school buses, a tractor trailer, and a pickup truck in Gray Summit, Missouri.

The two school buses were transporting students from John F. Hodge High School to Six Flags St. Louis. A Volvo tractor trailer slowed or stopped ahead because of the amount of traffic in a construction zone on the highway. A pickup truck slammed into the back of the tractor trailer. The first school bus, carrying the female high school students, change lanes into the wreck. Then the second school bus rear ended the first school bus, pushing the first school bus on top of the second.

Two people died in the fatal accident. A female high school who was sitting in the back of the first bus died. The pickup truck driver died as well. Dozens of injured students were taken to area hospitals after the fatal Missouri bus truck accident. Two students – a 16 year old female student and a 14 year old male student – suffered serious injuries in the accident.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the NTSB have been investigating the causes of the tragic Missouri truck accident since the accident occurred. An initial report showed that the inattentive driving may have been a major cause of the accident. Specifically, the drivers failed to react to the traffic pattern in the construction zone of I-44.

Members of the NTSB will meet next week to make a final determination about the probable cause of the accident. The NTSB meeting will occur on December 13, 2011. The meeting will focus on safety recommendations to prevent future Missouri truck bus accidents. The agency may comment on whether seat belts should have been used in the school buses, for example.

Continue reading "NSTB Investigates Deadly Missouri School Bus Accident" »

Many Missourians still remember the fatal Missouri school bus accident that occurred more than a year ago on I-44. The Missouri multivehicle traffic accident involved two school buses, a tractor cab without a trailer, and a pickup truck.

The Missouri school bus accident resulted in two deaths. Female high school student Jessica Binker, 15, died in the accident. Daniel Schatz, the 19 year old driving the pickup truck, also died during the collision. Up to 50 additional people suffered injuries as a result of the accident. The students from the John F. Hodge High School band were on their way to Six Flags when the tragic accident occurred.

Now, two bus drivers were arraigned for criminal charges related to the accident. 76 year old bus driver Katherine Shackelford and 29 year old bus driver Kelly McEnnish-Mullenix have been charged with careless and impudent driving.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Shackelford inattentively crashed into the rear of the non-moving pickup truck. McEnnish-Mullenix slammed the second school bus in the back of the first school bus. The force of the impact pushed the pickup truck into the non-moving tractor cab.

The criminal case resulting from the fatal Missouri bus accident will be heard by Judge David Hoven. A hearing is scheduled for this December. Neither defendant appeared for the arraignment that occurred this week.

Last year’s fatal Missouri school bus accident is sadly just one example of the devastation that occurs as a result of dangerous driving distractions in Missouri. Experienced drivers may feel that driving is an automatic process, but driving is complex. Drivers must monitor their speed, adapt to the curvature of the road, and monitor dynamic traffic conditions. Even the most experienced drivers need to actively pay attention while driving.

Missouri distracted driving increases the risk of a serious traffic accident. If a bus driver is talking to a passenger, using a mobile communication device, altering GPS input, or eating while driving, the bus driver is not devoting an appropriate amount of attention to the road. If there are any unexpected road conditions, such as non-moving vehicles on an interstate highway, the distracted bus driver may not have ample time to respond.

Continue reading "Bus Drivers Charged after I-44 Fatal Missouri Bus Accident" »

A Camdenton School District bus and a tractor-trailer were two of the five vehicles involved in a Missouri injury accident on Route 5 that sent 19 people to the hospital, though thankfully, most of the injuries were minor and there were no fatalities.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, this tractor-trailer crash began when the commercial truck, driven by Patrick Wortman, rear ended the school bus. The bus was stopped as a line of cars ahead of it waited for a driver to make a left turn. The initial impact forced the bus into the line of cars, causing a chain reaction collision that ultimately involved three other vehicles besides the bus and tractor-trailer.

A passenger in one of the cars, the bus driver, and 17 students were taken to the hospital for treatment after the wreck. A 13-year-old girl sustained the worst injuries and was airlifted to a local hospital. Her injuries were described only as moderate, however, and she was released later in the evening.

After an accident like this, there will be much investigation into the cause including drug and alcohol tests for the bus and truck driver.

Missouri has already seen a horrible school bus and tractor-trailer accident this year. Thankfully, we didn't see the same level of tragedy in this most recent incident as we did in that terrible school bus crash on I-44 in August where two people were killed.

Photo by KMOV TV

While the cause of the fatal Missouri school bus crash on Interstate 44 near Gray Summit is still being investigating, some more details are beginning to emerge, including the names of the two that were killed.

The female student who was killed was Jessica Brinker, 15, and the other death was Daniel Schatz, 19, who was driving the GMC pickup that was also involved in the fatal car crash. Brinker was a member of the John F. Hodge High School band, which was on its way to Six Flags and split up between the two buses involved in the wreck. Schatz was a reserve quarterback for the University of Missouri football team and son of Dave Schatz, a Republican candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives.

In addition to the two deaths, there were more than 50 injuries. Several of the injures were considered serious, but fortunately, most were able to escape the crash with relatively minor scrapes and bruises.

Again, the full investigation is still weeks away from being completed, but local media reports have begun to piece together some of the events leading up to the crash. The two buses were following behind Schatz’s pickup and a Volvo truck tractor. The driver of the truck tractor began to slow down for construction related traffic when Schatz crashed into the back of the truck, which was without a trailer. Moments later, the first school bus crashed into the back of the pickup and came to a rest on top of the first two vehicles. The second bus then collided with the rear of the first.

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of 15 people to assist in the investigation, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. An accident reconstruction will be performed to determine the exact cause of the crash. Representatives from the NTSB told the Post Dispatch they are particularly interested in this incident because they are looking for ways to improve school bus and construction zone safety, as well as determining whether crash-sensing devices on larger vehicles could prevent future school bus and tractor trailer crashes.

The NTSB will not make any statements regarding fault or liability and are requesting that any witnesses to the crash contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol or the NTSB directly. Coming forward as a witness takes a lot of courage and many people would choose not to involve themselves in the situation. It is important, though, that investigators get all the facts about this St. Louis bus crash so they can determine who was at fault. More than simply getting to the bottom of this incident, the NTSB will be able to use information gathered about this crash to help stop future crashes.

If you feel uncomfortable speaking directly to authorities, you can also email me with any information concerning the St. James bus accident and I will forward it to the appropriate officials.