What We Know About Driver in Chattanooga School Bus Crash
Johnthony Walker, 24, is being held by police.
— -- School bus driver Johnthony Walker has been charged in connection to a Monday afternoon crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that left five elementary school students dead and several others in intensive care.
Here's what we know about Walker:
The Charges Against Him
The Chattanooga Police Department posted a photo of Walker on Twitter this morning and listed the charges against him.
The post reads, "Johnthony Walker, 24, charged w/ 5 counts vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment & reckless driving in Talley Rd school bus crash."
What Allegedly Happened?
Walker was working a route for Woodmore Elementary School in Hamilton County, transporting 37 children, according to authorities, when his bus crashed into a tree. It was unclear how long he has been a bus driver or whether he had any marks against his driving record.
Speed is being considered "very, very strongly as a factor in this crash," Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher said.
An affidavit of Walker's arrest reads, "The defendant was traveling at a high speed on Talley Road, which is a narrow winding road. Based on witness statements and physical evidence, the defendant was driving the school bus at a high rate of speed, well above the posted speed limit of 30 mph. Mr. Walker lost control of the bus and swerved off of the roadway to the right, striking an elevated driveway and mailbox, swerved to the left and began to overturn, striking a telephone pole and a tree."
Interim Superintendent Kirk Kelly of the Hamilton County Department of Education told reporters this morning that three of the children who died while in Walker's care were in the fourth grade, one was in first grade and the other was a kindergartner and that four of the five were girls.
What Happens to Walker Now?
Walker is being held on a bond of $20,000 and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 29. It's unclear whether he has a lawyer.
A warrant has been issued to review the black box and video evidence that was captured from the bus, police said.