Teen who crashed into school bus under investigation for DUI
Blood samples have been taken from the driver of a BMW and his two passengers to determine if they had been using drugs or alcohol prior to fatally striking a pedestrian and crashing into the back of a school bus on Monday. A manslaughter charge is likely to be pursued against the driver if he is found to have been under the influence.
LOS ANGELES — The teenage driver of a BMW who ran a red light in the neighborhood of Boyle Heights on Monday, fatally striking a pedestrian and then crashing into the back of a school bus, is being investigated for being under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the incident. The two teenage passengers who were in the car are also under investigation.
California Highway Patrol officer John Harris told the Los Angeles Times that the teens fled the scene on foot after crashing into the bus. Two of the boys were grabbed by nearby construction workers while the third was arrested when he turned up at a hospital with injuries from the collision.
According to law enforcement sources, the boys in the car may have been using narcotics or sniffing glue before the collision. Blood samples were taken from the suspects to determine if they had been using drugs or alcohol, the Los Angeles Times reports.
A manslaughter charge is likely to be pursued against the driver if he is found to have been under the influence.
Fifty students were on the overturned bus. Eighteen students were taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries. The bus driver remained in the hospital in fair condition on Tuesday morning and at least three students were still in the hospital with minor injuries, KABC reports.
School counselors and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa rode the bus with the students on Tuesday to send the message that it's still safe to take the bus to school.
"They may be feeling anxiety, anger, some manifestation of trauma, and that's normal in situations like this," Villaraigosa told the news source.
More Safety

Geotab Launches Tool to Help Fleets Investigate Road Incidents
Geotab Investigations combines telematics data, video, documents, and other evidence to help fleets reconstruct incidents, resolve claims, and determine what happened.
Read More →
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →
How To Build a More Secure School Bus Yard During and After Hours
As thefts and overnight security threats continue, school transportation leaders are combining stronger operational practices with AI-enabled surveillance to better protect buses, facilities, and staff.
Read More →
FMCSA Names New Chief Safety Officer: What School Bus Operators Should Know
Steve Dowling is set to lead the federal agency's efforts to advance commercial motor vehicle safety and reduce crashes, fatalities, and injuries on the nation's roadways.
Read More →
New Study Finds School Zone Speed Safety Cameras Cut Speeding Violations 97%
A Florida university's research demonstrates that Verra Mobility's automated enforcement changes driver behavior and significantly improves school zone safety.
Read More →
What Changed in DOT’s New National Roadway Safety Strategy?
The federal agency's new plan shifts its focus to safer people, roads and vehicles, with a new three-pronged approach instead of five. One outlined action even addresses a key industry concern around illegal school bus passing.
Read More →
Are Autonomous Vehicles Ready to Safely Navigate School Bus Stops?
NHTSA is accelerating autonomous vehicle deployment through new safety standards and commercial approvals. See why school transportation leaders are watching.
Read More →
NFL Star Lomas Brown Kicks Off New Illegal School Bus Passing PSA
Just in time for the back-to-school season, the former Detroit Lions offensive tackle took time to record a video encouraging motorists to slow down around school buses.
Read More →
How Two Texas Districts Built Award-Winning Safety Programs
Learn how Prosper ISD and Rockwall ISD earned National Safety Council honors through hands-on training, safety culture, and strategies that reduced transportation incidents.
Read More →
NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes
The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.
Read More →
