Charges Pending in School Bus Crash
Posted: Dec 3, 2010 1:53 PM by Kate Mundy
Updated: Dec 3, 2010 2:20 PM

Three children remain in critical condition following a bus crash Friday morning near Port Barre. 21 students were on board the bus when an 18-wheeler rammed them from behind. One 5 year old child has brain swelling and is in ICU at Lafayette General Medical Center.

State Police sent the following press release this afternoon:
Today, Louisiana State Police Troop I investigated a two vehicle crash on US 190 westbound that left three children in critical condition. The crash involved an 18-wheeler and a St. Landry Parish school bus.

According to investigating troopers, on December 3, 2010, shortly before 7:30 a.m., a 1990 International school bus driven by 67-year-old Gilfred Savoy of Port Barre, LA, was stopped in the westbound right lane of US 190. Savoy was actively picking up children and had the red lights and stop signs activated on the bus. After the students finished boarding the bus, Savoy began to slowly proceed forward with all of his warning devices still activated. As Savoy was beginning his movement, a 2010 Freightliner 18-wheeler driven by 52-year-old David Cox of Dallas, TX, struck the bus from behind.

Both drivers sustained minor injuries in the crash. There were 21 children on the bus at the time of the crash. Three of them ages 5, 15, and one other juvenile (age unknown at this time), sustained critical injuries in the crash. All of the other children ranging in ages from 5 to 17-years-old, sustained minor to moderate injuries and were transported to local hospitals.

Routine toxicology samples were obtained from both drivers. The results of the samples are pending at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation. This crash remains under investigation.

I heard this earlier today on the news. When you get up in the morning,you just never know what the day has in store for ya. Hopefully the children in the hospital are gonna be ok. Prayers go out to the children and their families involved in the accident.

How is it illeagal for me to be in my vehicle witout a seatbelt, but yet it is OK for these busses dat transport children to not even have seat belts installed?

i live very close to where the crash happened. Last i heard at work today was that 3 are in critical condition and 1 child has a brain injury. Havent heard anything else since then. Prayers sent to the children and their families

If I'm not mistaken, the new buses do have seatbelts. The older models are grandfathered in. Either way, the seatbelts didn't cause the accident, the truck driver rear ended a school bus with it's flashers on. Prayers for the children & for the trucker as well.

seat belts used to be goverened by the gvwr of the vehicle (as does other safety equipment). that question has been asked many times. im not aware that the new buses have them and have been told that there has been no engineering or testing to support that they would work on a school bus. that being said in a roll over bus crash seat belts would do wonders in keeping the kids insive the bus. the other issues if seat belts were mandatory in buses would be crd's and booster seats. lots of liability for the school system on who would put the child in the seat and get them out in the event of crash or fire.

over all you would think a 40 foot long yellow vehicle with flashing lights and the lives of 50 to 80 children would spark a hint of safety to the people driving near them. f-ing retarded idiots dont care because they are late to work or putting on make-up or texting etc. or in this case just flat out not paying attention, jacked up on meth or over there driving hours or what ever.

people dont value life enough to think ahead of there actions. then once something happens they dont want to take responsibility for them.

This is sad.
How do you miss a big yellow school buss

Hurts mine heart to read/hear this. It happens every year in someones county/parish ....

Prayers from the Brooks' to all envolved.

Sad deal for sure.

God Bless that little girl and her family.

TV 3 news reported that the reps from JB HUNT meet w/ family members a couple days ago. They reported that JB HUNT reviewed the trucks black box data. The data showed that the driver was traveling at 45mph and never hit the brakes at the time of the wreck.

I feel that the St. Landry Ph school board is just as much at fault as the driver of the truck b/c there should not be any bus stops on HWY 190. It is a four lane state hwy that has speeds of 55 to 65 mph. It is a major truck route. I am really surprised that this has not happened before.

Very sad indeed.

Sad deal, But school busses are for picking you up at your house. People live Off of HWY 190 and send their kids on the bus to school. SOme do not choose to do so and bring their kids to school. Honestly IDK what would be the best solution would be. I do know all the Desegregation bullshit has kids being bussed all over the damn parish to equalize racial balances in school This dosent help either because kids have to wake up even earlier to go to another school than they are used to going to just because they arent a minority. Heck you chose where you live to associate with whom you want and the govmt is trying to mess with that right.

Regardless of the facts one child is dead and 2 others in critical condition, prayers sent all the way from Texas. God bless the families in this time of sorrow!

My lawyer friend from that area warned me years ago about the dangers of stopping on Hwy 190. This was based on all of the lawsuits he handled from wrecks on 190. Sad deal for sure.

Saw this in person on the way to the camp last Friday morning, past about 10' from it. One word "scary" if ya got kids you would really know what I mean. The little girl has past away, the boy is a cousin of a friend at work, and he was doing OK as of wed. God help the rig driver if the local RUMORS are true that he was under the influence. Been stuck at work haven't heard any more.