Driver in Fatal TX Charter Bus Crash Involved in Prior Fatal Bus Crash
Various news reports today are announcing that Loyd Rieve, the 65-year-old bus driver behind the wheel in yesterday’s fatal crash of a casino charter bus in Irving, Texas, was involved in another fatal bus accident in 1998.
In 1998, Loyd Rieve was driving for a different bus company, Central West Motor Stages Inc. And the accident occurred when the bus he was driving ran over and killed a young man in his 20s who had stopped to help a woman whose car had wrecked. In that tragic incident, the Dallas grand jury declined to indict Mr. Rieve on charges of negligent homicide. But our Texas bus crash attorneys point out that in a separate issue, a jury found the bus company, Central West Motor Stages, negligent for hiring Mr. Rieve to drive its bus.
The Outcome of the Court Case in the 1998 Fatal Bus Crash Case
Our Texas bus crash attorneys note that the reports which mention the negligent hiring charge also note that the jury awarded no monetary damages, finding the young Good Samaritan in his 20s largely at fault in causing the accident. And none of today’s news accounts of the action say why the jury felt the bus company was negligent in hiring Mr. Rieve. (This is rather important.) The reason is not necessarily because of Mr. Rieve’s prior driving record, but could be because the company failed to conduct adequate (or any) screening prior to hire.
However, based on this additional information alone, our Texas bus crash attorneys expect that authorities conducting the current fatal bus crash investigation should definitely take a very close look at Loyd Rieve’s driving for possible driver error, driver fatigue, and/or medical conditions.
About the Fatal Bus Crash Yesterday in Irving, Texas
Two victims have died, several people (including the bus driver) remain in intensive care, and about 41 people were hospitalized with injuries after yesterday’s fatal crash of a casino charter bus in Irving, Texas. Today’s accounts indicate that the Cardinal Coach Line bus contained 46 passengers and the bus driver.
No clear cause has yet been determined for yesterday’s fatal crash of a casino charter bus in Irving, Texas. And our Texas bus crash attorneys emphasize that it may be a year or more before authorities conclude their investigations and formally determine the cause(s) of the fatal crash. In the meantime, the additional bits of information presented only seem to add to the mystery.
The Texas bus crash attorneys at Denena Points, PC mention with deep sadness that the victims of the fatal bus crash have been identified as Paula Hahn and Sue Taylor, the “Casino Sue” who organized the fatal bus trip. (Source: Danny Robbins, David Warren and Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press, 4/12/13)
Contact the Texas Bus Crash Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if You have Questions Regarding Your Injury from Thursday’s Fatal Bus Crash
We provide an entirely FREE and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your accident injury or the injury of your loved one. And we could also evaluate your potential eligibility for financial compensation after the tragic accident. We note that the bus company, while it met legal requirements for insurance coverage, was vastly underinsured for a fatal bus crash accident of this magnitude, so it could be beneficial to get your claim started at once.
Contact us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form to receive your free, no obligation initial legal consultation. Put our more than 15 years of experience successfully resolving complex accident injury cases to work for your benefit.