![]() Duke issued a statement on Twitter saying the company was "devastated" by the accident and working with police and school officials to investigate. Obviously, this is a bad one."ĭurham CEO David A. "Legally, there is no way that we could discipline someone who is not our employee," Kutcher said. She referred all questions about his performance and that of other Durham drivers to the company. Hamilton County School District spokeswoman Amy Kutcher declined to say whether the district had received any complaints involving Walker, who was employed by an outside bus contractor, Durham School Services. He appeared to have no criminal record in Tennessee, authorities said. Walker had an accident involving property damage in September, and his license was suspended for about a month in 2014 for failure to show proof of insurance, according to state commercial driver records. So today, the city is praying for these families." "There are no words that can bring comfort to a mother or a father. "The most unnatural thing in the world is for a parent to mourn the loss of a child," Mayor Andy Berke said. All the children aboard went to Woodmore Elementary School. Their families were notified, but their names were not released. Three of the children killed were in fourth grade, one was in first grade and another in kindergarten, said Kirk Kelly, interim superintendent of Hamilton County schools. Hospital staff photographed each child and showed the images to teachers to figure out identities, he said. "Because of their young age, many of them were unable to spell their names, did not know their birthdays or even their parents' names - several said 'Momma' when they were asked what their name was." "Many of them were scared or too dazed to talk to us," Koller said at a news conference Tuesday. Darvey Koller, a pediatric emergency room physician at Children's Hospital at Erlanger, said identifying the students after the crash was a lengthy process in some cases. Reality intruded, though, as an usher walked a tearful woman through the crowd. Preachers and officials spoke of grief, strength and faith.Ĭhildren the same age as those who died were talking, getting antsy and playing a little in the capacity-filled lobby. Reeling from the tragedy, Chattanoogans lined up to donate blood, created a memorial of flowers and stuffed toys at the crash scene.Īt an evening prayer vigil, a local church overflowed and a gospel choir cried out in booming song. Walker was arrested and charged with five counts of vehicular homicide. Police said Johnthony Walker, 24, was speeding along a narrow, winding road Monday afternoon with 35 elementary school students aboard when he wrapped the bus around a tree. ![]() Five children died in a Tennessee bus crash.ĬHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - A school bus driver was behind bars Tuesday after a crash killed five youngsters and plunged Chattanooga into mourning over what the mayor called the "most unnatural thing in the world" - a parent losing a child.
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