6th child dies following Chattanooga bus crash

The 24-year-old bus driver in the deadly Chattanooga crash that killed multiple young children has been arrested and charged, police confirmed Tuesday morning.

Five children were killed in the crash and several others were injured – including some who were hospitalized in intensive care.

Now, investigators are trying to determine why Walker was driving “well above” the speed limit when the bus hit a mailbox, a utility pole and flipped on its side as it struck a tree.

Media reports say that the bus was traveling too fast exceeding the 30 miles per hour speed limit and crashed into a tree when the driver lost the control.

Children the same age as those who died were talking, getting antsy and playing a little in the capacity-filled lobby. What, if anything, affected the driver?

The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday afternoon that Talley Road, where the crash occurred, was not on the bus’s designated route, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

“We love the children of Woodmore with all our hearts”, Hamilton County Interim Superintendent Kirk Kelly said.

Zakiyyah Mateen still can’t process the death of her 6-year-old granddaughter, Zyaira Mateen.

“It doesn’t make sense”, said Candace Nash, the children’s aunt.

Jasmine Mateen said she had repeatedly complained to the school about the bus driver.

D’Myunn Lamar Brown was a kindergarten student at Woodmore Elementary, and was known for being shy and quiet before he opened up to people. That photo was used to help identify the victim.

“She’s looking at a long road of recovery and a lot more surgeries, but she’s here”, he said. “A little angel here on earth”. Mateen also said that she complained to the school about Walker in the past for slamming his brakes on objective to make the kids hit their heads. “So it’s very touching to see that, and I think it was helpful for the family to know what the last moments (at school) might have been”. “It’s going to be alright”.

“He said, “So? I’d do it again”, Mateen recalled.

Injuries sustained by the children included broken limbs, traumatic head and spinal injuries, and cuts and bruises, according to Erlanger Children’s Hospital. “Our number one thing is student safety”.

Bus driver Johnthony Walker, 24, was charged with five counts of vehicular homicide. Meanwhile, more charges could be pending against Walker.

Now at least one person is defending Walker – his mother, Gwenevere Cook. “Just a very nice person”.

Ross said Walker often came to work exhausted.

“We know they encountered a horrific scene and also know they did a terrific job”. Back in September he did have an accident with reported property damage, but those were all the records found on this bus driver. The accident report cited Walker for “failure to yield right of way”. In 2014, he had his license suspended following a crash, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety.

The driver was also involved in another school bus collision two months ago. He added that his company would cooperate fully with investigators.

While the accident shocked the community, some parents reported that Walker’s reckless behavior while driving had been an issue in the past.

Only California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Texas have seat belt laws for large buses. “This woman needs a seat”.

Workers cut down a tree Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, that was hit by a school bus Monday in Chattanooga, Tenn.

A mechanical inspection of the bus is also underway and nearly complete.

However, it was only previous year that NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind came out in favor of lap and shoulder belts on buses.

Here is a look at the outsourcing of school bus services in the United States, and at Illinois-based Durham School Services.

Based in Warrenville, Illinois, Durham operates about 13,700 vehicles across the USA and has almost as many drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. A website lists the most recent satisfactory rating date as July 31, 2015.

“We’re going to do everything we can to assist in any way”, Haslam said.

Durham CEO David A. Duke released a video statement expressing condolences to the families and pledging to work with investigators.

Garrett said that, while the investigation was still ongoing, there was no indication that Walker intentionally tried to harm the children.

“I don’t want to compromise that investigation”, he said.