MENU
SEARCHPlus, new details that prosecutors believe could have prevented the crash that killed six people altogether.
The estates of at least three victims killed in a Nov. 2023 charter bus crash have filed wrongful death lawsuits. (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 the crash.
Photo: Tuscarawas Valley School District, School Bus Fleet
The families of at least three victims killed in a fiery crash aboard a charter bus in Ohio in Nov. 2023 have filed wrongful death lawsuits.
Six people — including four Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools students and two chaperones — were killed in the highway crash in Licking, Ohio, when the bus carrying a high school marching band was involved in a crash. Another 18 people were injured in the Nov. 14 crash.
Details of the lawsuits shed new light on a factor prosecutors believe could have prevented the crash altogether.
School Bus Fleetpreviously reported that a report from the Ohio Department of Public Safety revealed a semi-truck was following too close to the vehicles in front of it as traffic became congested due to an earlier crash ahead on Interstate 70, ultimately leading to the chain-reaction crash.
ABC 6 Columbus reported that court documents filed in Franklin County now state 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 two bus passengers and students filed suit: 18-year-old John Wyatt Mosley and 15-year-old Katelyn Owens. The estate of Shannon Wigfield, a 45-year-old chaperone and passenger in one of the cars involved in the crash, also filed suit, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
The lawsuits by Mosley and Owens' estates named defendants Fyda Freightliner Columbus; Timothy J. Fyda; Pioneer Trails, Inc.; Mid-State Systems, along with Lee Zazworsky, Donald Ray Wagler, and Jacob DeWayne McDonald, who was driving the tractor-trailer that caused the chain reaction at the time of the crash.
Fyda is an officer at Fyda Freightliner, while Pioneer Trails is a for-hire motor carrier, and Mid-State Systems is a motor carrier company. Zazworsky is Mid-State Systems' president.
Wigfield's estate also included Honda Logistics North America, One World Logistics of America, CEVA Contract Logistics U.S., and Daimler Truck North America as defendants.
Attorneys argue that Fyda Freightliner sold the semi to Mid-State Systems without standard safety systems. They also accused the driver, trucking company, and the company that sold the truck of negligence.
The companies have denied responsibility for the crash in response to the complaints.
Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.
Read More →
An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.
Read More →
The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.
Read More →
Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.
Read More →
A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.
Read More →
As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.
Read More →
What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.
Read More →
A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.
Read More →
$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.
Read More →
After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.
Read More →
