Ohio Jury Convicts Minivan Driver in Fatal Bus Crash

An Ohio jury took just about an hour this week to convict Hermanio Joseph, 36, on charges of involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide. Joseph blamed the sun hitting his eye for causing him to swerve and drive his minivan into a Northwestern Local Schools bus on the first day of school. The school bus overturned and ejected 11-year-old Aiden Clark, killing him.

According to WHIOTV 7, through a translator, Joseph told the court: “The road is very narrow and then, you know, as the sun hit, you know, I did not have the chance to make the right decision.”

The motorist, a Haitian immigrant, only had a driver’s license from Mexico. He’s now been in the United States for about a year, Joseph said.

The accident led to renewed calls for required seat belts on school buses. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine empaneled a commission to review options. That commission stopped short of demanding that school districts install seat belts on every school bus. It did, however, issue a series of recommendations geared toward bus driver training and inspections.

Joseph's sentencing is set for May 21.