When you put your children on a school bus, you likely trust they will get to their destination safely. And as with most parents, you probably cannot fathom how you would respond in the event of a crash.
Unfortunately, accidents can happen anywhere. One former bus driver faced felony charges of child abuse and endangerment from a 2014 bus crash until a judge recently placed him on five years of probation.
Orange County Attorney Defends Bus Driver After a Crash Which Injured Students
Last June, a former school bus driver pleaded guilty to one count of perjury for lying on his job application. He also pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts of child abuse for the children who suffered injuries when a medical emergency caused the man to lose consciousness, and the bus he was driving swerved off the road.
The driver's attorney, Jacqueline Goodman, asserted that the driver was unaware of his medical condition at the time of the incident which physically injured roughly five students. Goodman also argued that the driver cared for his students and would not have risked their safety had he known he suffered from pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Following the driver's diagnosis and double lung transplant, Goodman traveled to an Arizona hospital to be by her client's hospital bed while he appeared in Orange County court via Skype. An Orange County Superior Court Judge considered the former driver's health in sentencing him to five years of formal probation.
During the former bus driver's probation, he may need to participate in:
- Monitoring by an assigned probation officer
- Community service work
- Psychological counseling
The judge also revoked the man's driving privileges during his probation.
Attorney Jacqueline Goodman
Goodman is an Orange County criminal defense attorney who possesses more than 20 years of experience and the ability to argue cases in the United States Supreme Court. As with the former bus driver involved in this case, Ms. Goodman understands that sometimes bad things happen to good people. She protects the rights of those who face serious accusations which could affect your freedom.
Call today for a free consultation with Jacqueline Goodman at (714) 733-1737.
