The driver of the World Wide Travel bus that crashed on Interstate 95 in New York in March, killing 15 passengers, was indicted on manslaughter charges in Bronx State Supreme Court on Thursday.
At the time of the accident, the bus was returning to Manhattan’s Chinatown from an overnight trip to a Connecticut casino. Along with those who were killed, dozens were injured.
According to the article, prosecutors allege that the driver not only lacked a valid driver’s license, but that he also was sleep deprived. An investigation into the accident has revealed that the driver had been driving during what should have been his off hours, causing a lack of adequate sleep. In the article, Gary Weil, a prosecutor in the Bronx district attorney’s office is quoted as saying, “This defendant owed it to his passengers to do better. What makes this a reckless act is he knew what his condition was and chose to ignore it.”
The driver has been charged with 15 counts of manslaughter, 15 counts of criminally negligent homicide, 23 counts of assault based on the number of injuries the passengers received, reckless driving, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
According to the article, the crash prompted officials to scrutinize the discount tour bus industry, which has operated with little oversight.