Saturday, May 03, 2008

Suit filed over fatal bus crash

This from the Enquirer:

'Parents are devastated'
after boy, 16, killed

FALMOUTH - 16-year-old Daniel Wood was a caring and attentive big brother to his 12-year-old brother, Travis, and 5-year-old sister, Jordan.

They were on the school bus with him when it was struck by a dump truck Thursday morning. Officials said Daniel was killed on impact.

Travis was sitting in front of his big brother when the truck struck. He helped get injured students off the bus and then tried to go back for Daniel, said Phil Taliaferro, an attorney for the family.

"The parents are devastated. It's just awful," he said. "This is a tragedy that, in their lives, is unparalleled." Taliaferro filed a lawsuit Friday, alleging negligence by the company and the driver...

...Taliaferro's lawsuit in Pendleton Circuit Court alleges negligence by the company and the driver. He filed for a court order to preserve company records about maintenance on the truck and Yulfo's training, personnel and cell-phone records. A hearing is Wednesday.
This year, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet conducted a routine safety check on Ky. 22, which included inspections of guardrails and road signs. No problems were detected, said Transportation Cabinet District 6 Spokeswoman Nancy Wood, who is not related to the victim.

She said 96 vehicle accidents have occurred on Ky. 22 between Williamstown and U.S. 27 since Jan. 1, 2005. Forty-five occurred in Grant County and 51 in Pendleton County.

Daniel was the only fatality, she said.

Capt. Keith Craycraft, commander of Kentucky State Police Post 6 in Dry Ridge, said troopers regularly patrol the road, which he said isn't any more dangerous than other curvy, rural roads in the area.

Residents of Ky. 22 said truck drivers and motorcyclists frequently speed there, but investigators have not determined whether speed was a factor in Thursday's fatal crash.


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