# 3 vehicle Crash involving School bus kills 7 kids



## MedicPrincess (Jan 26, 2006)

*Fla. Highway Crash Kills 7 Adopted Kids* 

LAKE BUTLER, Fla. - Seven adopted children from a single household were killed Wednesday in a fiery crash when their car was crushed between a truck and a stopped school bus in rural northern Florida.


The car was driven by 15-year-old Nicki Mann, who was with siblings Elizabeth Mann, 15; Johnny Mann, 13; Heaven Mann, 3; Ashley Kenn, 13; Miranda Finn, 8 or 9 years old; and Anthony Lamb, almost 2 years old. Lamb was in the process of being adopted, Burroughs said


Here...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060126/ap_on_re_us/school_bus_crash


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## VinBin (Jan 26, 2006)

Why...was...a...15y/o driving with all those kids...?
They say it was done "illegally", but I would bet that the lady who apparently adopted them was aware of it...

Damn...story states she didnt even brake...probably distracted or playing games I guess...


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## MedicPrincess (Jan 26, 2006)

The 15 y/o did not cause the accident.  The truck carrying bottled water that rear ended her did.


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## VinBin (Jan 26, 2006)

ah...my bad, I misread it

So let me get this straight, the guy from the truck just ran full speed into the back of that van?


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## Chimpie (Jan 26, 2006)

VinBin said:
			
		

> ah...my bad, I misread it
> 
> So let me get this straight, the guy from the truck just ran full speed into the back of that van?


I don't know about full speed, but judging by the picture provided in the article, it wasn't a tap.  The bus is sitting in the woods.


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## SmokinGun911 (Jan 26, 2006)

*It was reported this morning there was no indication the truck driver attempted to use his brakes.*


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## FFEMT1764 (Jan 26, 2006)

looks to me like someone will loose his CDL, and maybe face 7 or more counts of vehicular homicide....not paying attention while driving a 30-80,000 pound truck is just plain stupid....and lets not forget that the BAL hasnt come back yet...he coulda been drinking too...or on drugs, etc. Its a shame that all those children died...all because someone in a truck couldnt see a stopped school bus and a car....I would have loved to hear the truck drivers side of the story....


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## emtI (Jan 26, 2006)

CNN has just reported that upon hearing the news of the death of all 7 of his grandchildren, the grandfather (adoptive mother's father) collapsed with a massive heart attack and passed away as well.

My prayers to those involved, as well as those emergency personnel who worked this tragedy.


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## Wingnut (Jan 27, 2006)

It's horrible, I saw this on the news last night, they were interviewing the grandmother and she was a wreck. Hopes and prayers out to all of them.


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## TTLWHKR (Jan 27, 2006)

Has there been any official report on why the truck driver did not apply his brakes?


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## MedicPrincess (Jan 27, 2006)

Nothing yet.  They keep saying they are awaiting toxicology results.  That I don't get.  We have people come in our ER all the time to be Baker Acted (involutarily commited for 72 hours) who all get blood tests for drugs and alcohol.  Takes about an hour or so to get them back.


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## Phridae (Feb 4, 2006)

LAKE BUTLER, Fla. - A truck driver who plowed into a car at a school bus stop last week, killing seven children, had been awake for 34 hours, except for a short nap, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday.

Alvin Wilkerson, 31, was driving a load of bottled water from High Springs to Jacksonville, a distance of 85 miles, when he crashed into the other vehicle.

David Rayburn, the NTSB’s lead investigator in the crash, said fatigue was one of many factors being reviewed.

“He was driving quite a bit during those 34 hours,” Rayburn said, adding that Wilkerson was making deliveries and loading and unloading his truck.

Wilkerson, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, has refused to speak with investigators. Rayburn and the Florida Highway Patrol would not release the name of his attorney.

Blood tests showed he had not been using alcohol or drugs and was not using his cell phone at the time of the accident, investigators said. They still do not know if a dog riding in Wilkerson’s truck played any part in the collision.

Wilkerson’s employer, Crete Carrier Corp. of Lincoln, Neb., issued a statement Friday saying the NTSB’s statements were preliminary. “Like the NTSB, our desire is to determine the cause of the accident,” said Jack Peetz, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

The NTSB, using an identical school bus and truck, determined the school bus should have been visible for more than half a mile. The truck left some light skid marks before hitting the car and pushing it into the school bus.

The car burst into flames, killing all seven children, and forcing it under the school bus, which had nine children aboard. Two children from the bus remained hospitalized Friday in Gainesville.


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## TTLWHKR (Feb 4, 2006)

Phridae said:
			
		

> They still do not know if a dog riding in Wilkerson’s truck played any part in the collision.


 


That's it!  The dog was driving! Like Tunsis.


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## Wingnut (Feb 4, 2006)

Yeah but I bet that dog doesn't have a nifty driving song.


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## TTLWHKR (Feb 4, 2006)

What is it with southern truckers and dogs?


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