Fatal School Bus Crash Sees Driver Convicted
Ricky Lee Smiley, 43, of Centre Township was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a Pennsylvania school bus crash on Sept. 26, 2006 that killed a teacher's aide. The West Perry School Board member was found to be guilty of a summary charge of careless driving in the head-on crash between the bus Smiley was driving and a Ford Explorer driven by Susan E. Switaj, 39, of Landisburg.
Things could have been much worse for Smiley. The jury that deliberated about 90 minutes acquitted Smiley of a homicide by vehicle charge, a third-degree felony that could have meant up to 12 months in prison. The lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter that Smiley was convicted of constitutes a first-degree misdemeanor.
Bus accidents are among the most dangerous of all motor vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania. The added weight and lack of maneuverability of busses makes them dangerous when traveling at high speeds, and it doesn’t take much for a driver to lose control of them. When the busses are carrying schoolchildren, matters get nothing but more complicated. School buses are not equipped with restraint systems, and small children can be utterly defenseless during a bus crash.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a school bus accident in Pennsylvania, please contact Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP today for a free consultation with one of our experienced Philadelphia, Pennsylvania bus crash lawyers.
