The Virginia bus accident trial of 37-year-old Kin Yiu Cheung is set to begin in January, but now the bus driver will be facing fewer charges. According to the Associated Press and the Virginian-Pilot, one of the prosecutors in the case has announced that they will drop the misdemeanor reckless driving charge in order to focus on the four more serious counts of felony involuntary manslaughter.
The commercial bus accident took place in Caroline County, Virginia, on May 31, 2011 as a Sky Express passenger bus on its way to New York left Interstate 95 just outside of Richmond, overturning with 60 passengers inside. Four people were killed and dozens more suffered serious injuries. After the crash, Cheung admitted that he had fallen asleep at the wheel of the bus.
The bus company had already tallied a number of various federal violations and the Department of Transportation was in the process of shutting it down when the crash took place. This was the fifth bus accident in the company’s last four years and its 47th violation involving fatigued drivers.
Cheap commercial bus rides up and down I-95 have become increasingly popular, but their low cost tickets come at a price – even in the last year, several buses have crashed and hundreds of violations have been issued. If you have been injured in a commercial bus accident, it is imperative that you speak with a Virginia bus accident attorney. If the bus company was in violation of the law, you may be owed compensation.