The Licking County Grand Jury heard testimony from an Ohio State Highway Patrol reconstructionist and others. McDonald was indicted on 26 charges, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Photo: Licking County Justice Cente/School Bus Fleet
The driver of a semi-truck accused in a Nov. 2023 deadly charter bus crash involving high school students has been arrested.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, 60-year-old Jacob McDonald was arrested on July 18. The Licking County Prosecutor's Office brought forth six charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, nine charges of vehicular assault, and 11 charges of assault.
Six people — including four Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools students and two chaperones — were killed in the Nov. 14 crash that involved a charter bus carrying a high school marching band. Another 18 people were injured.
Details on the Fatal Crash
A report from the Ohio Department of Public Safety revealed that McDonald was following too close to the vehicles in front of his semi-truck as traffic became congested due to an earlier crash ahead on Interstate 70, ultimately leading to the chain-reaction crash.
The Licking County Grand Jury heard testimony from an Ohio State Highway Patrol reconstructionist and others. McDonald was indicted on all 26 charges, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
In early July 2024, School Bus Fleet reported that documents reveal the Mid-State Systems 18-wheeler lacked a crash avoidance system that could have saved lives by alerting the driver and slowing or stopping the vehicle.
The estates of at least three victims killed in a Nov. 2023 charter bus (Top L-R) David Kennat, Kristy Gaynor, Shannon Wigfield, (bottom L-R) John Wyatt Mosley, Katelyn Nicole Owens, and Jeffrey "JD" Worrell were killed in a Nov. 2023 charter bus crash.
Photo: Tuscarawas Valley School District, School Bus Fleet
The estates of two bus passengers and students filed suit. The estate of a chaperone, who was driving in another vehicle involved in the crash, also filed suit. All three lawsuits name McDonald as a defendant, among others.
On July 18, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, with the assistance of the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office, executed the warrant and arrested McDonald. He was heard on body camera video obtained by WOIO saying he regretted that the crash ever happened.
On July 19, McDonald appeared before the Licking County Common Pleas Court and was given a $1 million bond. He has another bond hearing on July 30 and an arraignment, where he is expected to enter a plea, WOIO reported.
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