JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The 37-year-old semi-truck driver who rear-ended a school bus carrying kindergarteners on a field trip last week was cited for careless driving in the crash, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office records show.
The citation indicates the semi driver, who is from Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, was also fined $164.
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NOTE: News4JAX is not naming the driver because there are no criminal charges.
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The crash happened last Thursday when about 30 kindergarteners from San Pablo Elementary School were on board a Duval County bus headed to the Jacksonville Zoo.
As required by law, the bus stopped at a set of railroad tracks crossing Zoo Parkway, and the semi driver told police that he saw the bus stopped, tried to step on the brakes, but his “brakes were not working,” causing the semi to swerve to the inside in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid hitting the bus.
The impact crumpled the back of the school bus and caused major damage to the tractor-trailer.
Four children were injured and taken to the hospital, and the crash report notes a fifth person was also transported for their injuries. The injuries range from two broken legs to cuts to the head and chest pain. No updates have been released regarding the students’ current conditions.
Despite being cited for careless driving, officers noted in the crash report that the driver was not distracted at the time of the crash.
Dalya Farah, an attorney with Farah and Farah who is representing the families of three of the injured students, said the next step is a deeper investigation into the truck itself.
“We will most likely inspect the truck. There’s a lot of information on semi-trucks that we can’t obtain otherwise,” Farah said.
Farah said inspection records and maintenance history will be critical in determining what caused the crash.
“When it comes to a semi case, there could be a lot of factors that go into fault,” she said. “We’re looking into whether there was a brake failure, whether the truck was properly maintained, or if distracted driving played a role.”
The News4JAX I-TEAM also uncovered a history of crashes tied to the trucking company.
Using the USDOT number on the truck, records show five other crashes linked to the same company over the past two years. It is unclear who was at fault in those incidents or whether the same driver was involved.
Records also show 74 inspections were conducted during that time frame, though that number may reflect inspections across the company’s entire fleet.
Farah said those inspection records could provide key insight into whether the crash could have been prevented.
“It’s definitely terrifying,” Farah said. “I can’t imagine a kindergartener going through that trauma, especially on a trip to the zoo.”
News4JAX reached out to the trucking company, Universal Logistics Holdings, about the reported brake failure. A manager declined to answer questions.
The investigation is focused on determining the cause of the crash, including whether the truck driver was distracted or if there were mechanical failures.
It’s unclear how this information would add to the lawsuit.