No charges to be filed in fatal school bus crash

LOGANSPORT, Ind. — Authorities announced last week that no criminal charges would be filed in a wreck that killed four specials-needs students in September.

The Indiana State Police said in a statement that the Cass County prosecutor decided that “none of the crash participants’ actions rose to the level of requiring criminal charges be filed.”

The Sept. 26 accident began on a highway near Logansport after a motor scooter stopped or slowed to make a turn. A dump truck traveling behind the scooter applied its brakes and veered into opposing traffic, where it struck the side of a Twin Lakes School Corp. small bus.

The bus then overturned and slid into the path of another dump truck, which struck the bus’ roof. All four elementary school children on the bus were pronounced dead at the scene. The bus driver, Deborah DuVall, was injured and taken by helicopter to a hospital. The other drivers were not injured.

The crash investigation revealed that all four children and the bus driver were restrained with a seat belt or child safety seat. “The impact was too severe for the restraints to save the children,” the Indiana State Police said in a statement.