School bus driver charged in deadly Chattanooga crash

He was jailed on $107,500 bail for a court appearance November 29 on charges that also included reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

Investigators are looking into whether Walker was speeding before the crash occurred with the police chief saying speed is being “very, very strongly” considered the cause.

Police said they are reviewing the bus’ cameras, but Hart explained that the NTSB is having trouble downloading the data because of the damage to the bus.

Thirkill is the principal at Orchard Knob Elementary, where Cordayja attended before changing schools to Woodmore Elementary.

Fletcher said the bus, which was carrying students in kindergarten through fifth grade, turned over on its side and struck a tree. Six students are still in the hospital.

Officials towed the bus from the scene early Tuesday morning, just before the NTSB arrived.

They have determined that none of the victims were ejected from the bus during the crash.

The Tennessee Titans Foundation will donate $25,000 to The Woodmore Fund following the tragic school bus accident involving Woodmore Elementary School students on November 21 in Chattanooga. “What I can say is that I’m deeply sorry for the children that were taken from their families with so much life before them”.

The United Way of Greater Chattanooga and Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga are coordinating the fundraising effort to provide assistance to the families most impacted by the bus crash.

On Wednesday, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher Hart told reporters there have been no deadly accidents on the section of road over the past three years.

Neither the city of Chattanooga nor its schools interacts with the company, Chattanooga Mayor Berke said. Koller says several of the children said “Momma” when asked who their parents were.

He added: “Our thoughts, our prayers and all of our efforts are with the families of these children and others impacted by this tragedy”.

Six-year-old Zyaira Mateen was killed and her sisters, 6-year-old Zasmyn and 10-year-old Zacauree’a are both still in intensive care, according to their mother. “He was going real fast and he hit a garbage bag”, the boy said.

“I know he’s in a better place”, McClendon said. She said Walker is a respected man and the father of a 3-year-old son. “I mean I can’t imagine what those parents have gotta be going through”.

Television stations reported that people lined up to donate blood and some donors were asked to make appointments for Tuesday.

Chattanooga Police confirmed Wednesday evening that a sixth child in the Talley Road bus crash has died.

“I pray for his family as well as I do (for) mine and the other families that were involved in this bad accident”, Thirkill said.

At the state Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam called the crash “a tragic event” and offered assistance.

Tennessee’s Department of Education and Department of Safety and Homeland Security would participate, Haslam said. “I’ve been in a domestic accident aboard the bus.’ While he was trying to get the kids off, blood was everywhere, bodies everywhere, he was explaining and the phone disconnected”, said Gwenevere Cook, Walker’s mother.