In Bastrop County, Texas, on March 22, 2024, a terrible accident shook the whole community. Picture this: a normal school day turned deadly when a Tom Green Elementary School bus and a concrete truck crashed on State Highway 21. As Jerry Hernandez drove the concrete truck carelessly, it crashed and killed two people: Ulises Rodriguez Montoya, a 5-year-old student, and Ryan Wallace, a 33-year-old doctoral candidate. Among the others who were hurt badly, teacher Deborah Serna broke four bones in her back. The site really was a heartbreaking one, but how did it actually turn into this Dallas Bus Crash Lawsuit? Who’s at fault? Well, that’s the main point of this post where we will go over the crucial details of this case, what really happened, and how things are turning out in the ongoing investigation. Alright, let’s have a look.
What Exactly Happened?
To break it down, you see, Hernandez’s concrete truck suddenly turned right into the path of the bus, which was already on its way. The crash was so bad that it turned the bus over and sent it spinning. Investigators found that Hernandez had been high at the time of the accident, and that could be the very reason why this accident happened in the first place. He admitted to using drugs the night before and the morning of the crash. He was tired, and he had a sketchy past that included drug crimes and a license suspension. This made things worse.
How Did This Dallas Bus Crash Lawsuit Take Place?
After the event, Deborah Serna and her husband Rex didn’t do anything. The people who worked for Hernandez (FJM Concrete, its owner Francisco Xavier Martinez Jr.), as well as Hernandez himself, were sued. What do they say? The company was incredibly careless when they hired Hernandez, even though he had a bad reputation. They are now suing for more than $1 million to pay their medical bills, make up for lost wages, and deal with the mental damage it has caused. For now though, Hernandez is being charged with criminally negligent murder for his part in the tragedy.
What’s More? Yes, Safety On The Line
This accident has brought attention to how safe (or not safe) school buses are. A shocking fact? You see, seat belts are not required by Texas law, so they were not on the bus. There is now a strong call to make school bus safety rules stricter so that something like this never happens ever again. Both the local community and the Hays Consolidated Independent School District are working together to help the families of the victims and make changes that can be seen and felt.
Ongoing Investigations and Community Response
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken action and is looking into the accident in great detail so that it doesn’t happen again. Because of what was found, Jerry Hernandez no longer has the right to drive for work. The community and school system are determined to help the victims and fight for justice so that something like this never happens again.
