Bus driver involved in fatal Bronx accident faces suspension

Bus Driver Involved in Bronx Crash Suspended

The bus driver of a passenger bus which crashed March 12 in the Bronx had his license suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Ophadel Williams, 40, was behind the wheel of the bus which swerved, flipped over, and smashed into street poles, killing 15 passengers.

Williams said he avoided a tractor-trailer and lost control of the bus. No charges have been filed against the bus driver. The driver of the tractor-trailer told police that his vehicle did not clip the bus prior to the crash.

But the DMV handed over information to the New York State Police about possible false statements made by Williams, and Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered state inspector general Ellen Biben to start an investigation focusing on the bus driver's "criminal record and driving history."

In a statement, Gov. Cuomo's director of state operations Howard Glaser said the investigation will find out how Williams was able to apply for and get a commercial driver's license despite having used multiple names in the past.

According to the New York Department of Correctional Services, the bus driver was convicted of manslaughter 20 years ago and served three years in prison from 1992 to 1994. He was back in prison from 1998 to 2002 this time of grand larceny.

The police are not ruling out the possibility that the bus may have collided with a vehicle, but are also looking at other causes like brake and steering problems.

Williams may also have fallen asleep while driving or was speeding. Investigators are also backtracking 72 hours of the activities of the bus driver.

Posted by Sophia Andrews on Saturday March 19 2011, 5:26 AM EST. Ref: CNN. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0