Jerry Hernandez, a cement truck driver in Texas, admitted to consuming cocaine and marijuana before crashing into a school bus carrying 40 preschoolers back from a field trip. Dashcam footage showed Hernandez swerving into oncoming traffic and colliding with the bus, contradicting his claim of a broken-down vehicle forcing him to make the sudden maneuver. The collision killed a 5-year-old boy on the bus and another driver hit by the cement truck.
The newly released dashcam footage from inside the school bus captured the terrifying moments as the cement truck veered across double yellow lines on a rural highway, hitting the bus with enough force to cause it to roll across the pavement. The roof of the bus crumpled to the ground as bystanders rushed to help the young victims. The entire crash happened in less than 10 seconds, resulting in the tragic deaths of a child on the bus and an individual in another vehicle.
Following the crash, Hernandez was arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide. He admitted to smoking marijuana the night before and consuming cocaine after only three hours of sleep. Despite claiming to have swerved to avoid a broken-down vehicle, the dashcam footage indicated a clear path in front of the cement truck’s lane. The bus was carrying 40 preschoolers from a field trip to the zoo, along with 11 adults, none of whom were wearing seat belts.
Four people were airlifted from the crash site in critical condition, while six others with serious injuries were taken to hospitals by ambulance. The tragic incident has highlighted the dangers of impaired driving and the devastating consequences it can have on innocent victims. If convicted, Hernandez could face a prison sentence of up to two years and a fine of $10,000. The school district has not commented on whether seat belts will be required on buses in the future.
