A school bus driver in Oregon is charged with intoxicated driving after he drove a bus off the roadway in rural Oregon on November 13th, 2019. Officials stated that there were 10 students on board between the ages of 10 and 16.
A news release by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office stated that deputies were immediately dispatched to the accident site located 30 miles west of Portland around 8 am. The bus belongs to Long View School District bus and it crashed on Southwest Old Highway Road in Washington County, Oregon.
Driver Under the Influence of Banned Intoxicators
The bus driver, Jonathan C. Gates, was found to be in an impaired condition by the deputies. Gates has been arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail. According to the police Gates has been charged with DUII-controlled substance.
The 20 year old driver from Hillsboro is also facing 11 counts of reckless endangering and reckless driving. He was released after being issued citation in lieu custody.
Forest Grove School District claimed that Gates has been driving for three days on the route and had no prior complaints. He was reportedly hired by Mid-Columbia Bus Company a month ago.
No Students Were Injured
There were 10 students on board and an adult bus aid. However, nobody was hurt in the bus crash. Maria Anaya, a 16 year old student on board, told FOX12 that it felt like the bus was going to tip over after hitting a small tree and going off the rural roadway.
All of a sudden the bus aid started yelling “watch out”. Anaya described one of the students flying out of his seat while others got thrown about. There were no seat belts in the bus which in some cases is a good thing for buses (not cars) and would the kids wear the seatbelts or put them on off they were available – some people are not sure about that.
Bus Accident Lawsuits Can be Complicated in Oregon
Lawsuits can be complex because of the wide variety of bus categories, including city buses, Greyhound buses, schools and college buses, and tour buses among others. Separation of ownership and management can make it difficult to pin responsibility. This is why hiring a city bus accident attorney from the start is recommended.
Most types of bus transport operate under strict federal and state licensing regulations. However, it is usually the state law that determines whether a bus company is responsible for damages or not.
Injuries and fatalities in bus accidents can be caused by poor driving behavior, spare parts malfunction, or poor road surface maintenance among other reasons. The reasons for accidents can vary and it requires an experienced city bus accident lawyer to find out the parties that are legally responsible for a victim’s injuries.
A bus driver driving drunk with children as passengers does not impress anyone.