This week I read a local news story that was remarkable by any measure, and of particular interest to a Southern Illinois car accident attorney like me. On May 27 in Jefferson County, Ill., a school bus driver with a full load of children passed out at the wheel. The bus veered off course, hit a tree and continued about 100 yards before the students onboard managed to shut off the bus.
Miraculously, none of the children were harmed. However, the driver, 41-year-old Tonya Glass, was taken from the accident site to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. This week, Jefferson County Sheriff Roger Mulch revealed that blood drawn from the Glass at the hospital had tested positive for a controlled substance. Glass was subsequently charged with a DUI.
“The story is that the kids did physically shut off the bus,” Mulch stated. “They checked on each other and made sure each other were all right.” They also were the ones to call for help, he said. The students’ ages ranged between 5 and 14. As for Glass, Mulch said, “She’s received one citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and a second citation for DUI.”
Naturally, this story interests me as a Southern Illinois auto accident lawyer — particularly because so many questions remain unanswered. The substance found in the driver’s blood has still not been disclosed; further tests are pending from the Illinois State Police Crime Lab, according to Mulch. The sheriff said the case will undergo further investigation as to what the substance was; he did not say whether information would be released as to whether it was prescribed to Glass, but that would be one of my first questions as a Southern Illinois personal injury attorney.
As of press time, no charges have been filed. Time will tell as to whether the driver will be charged for this incident, but at any rate the case bears extremely thorough investigation and is far from over.
If you or a loved one has been injured by or suffered trauma due to a driver who was incapacitated by a substance, legal or otherwise, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Based in St. Louis, Carey, Danis & Lowe offers free, confidential consultations, so you can learn more about your rights and your claim with no risk or commitment. We handle personal injury lawsuits for people throughout Missouri and southern Illinois, and our Southern Illinois auto accident lawyers are ready to help you. To set up a free consultation, please contact us online or call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.
