Richland School District Sued Over Student Bus Stop Crash

Information has emerged about a lawsuit filed against the Richland School District regarding an accident at a bus stop last October.

The student was hit by a vehicle as he crossed the street after the bus left, lawsuit alleges

A local Tri-City and Yakima law firm filed a lawsuit in Benton County Superior Court, claiming the school district, bus driver and truck driver were negligent in preventing of the accident.

On October 22, 2021, the lawsuit says a Richland School bus driven by Jennifer Garcia was dropping off children at stop 301, located near the southwest corner of Hood and Spengler. Of the 19 children, the lawsuit indicates that 8 of them must cross from the south to the north of Spengler to reach their homes. The victim, an 11-year-old girl identified as “TE” in the jumpsuit, was hit by a westbound truck driven by James Koester on Spengler.

The lawsuit says the child suffered significant injuries and damages, which also resulted in loss of wages and significant damages to the child’s mother, identified in the lawsuit as “NIE”.

Lawsuit claims bus driver failed to follow RCW procedures and laws

A number of state laws and parts of the Revised Washington Code were violated, the suit claims. The combination names 3 sections of the RCW that apparently require a school bus to remain stationary with safety equipment, lights and the crossing barrier deployed until all children are on the other side of the road. street in front of the bus if necessary, or away from the stop. Region.

We reached out to the law firm Tamaki who filed the lawsuit seeking clarification, and attorney Megan L. Chang-Ngaruiya responded with a statement that read in part:

“…the bus driver left before all the pupils who had to cross the road had done so, including the child who was later injured.”

The lawsuit seeks damages and compensation for the victims through a lawsuit.

No word if no response from the RSD yet.

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