The bus driver of the school bus that was hit by a train on Wednesday in the San Luis province killing six girls and two teachers was allegedly wearing headphones and when he realized the train was upon them, he jumped from the vehicle leaving the passengers inside.
Judge Mirtha Esley came to this conclusion after gathering evidence and statements from witnesses who were present when the train collided with the bus that was carrying 40 students from a Catholic school.
Several witnesses assured that the driver “was wearing headphones and listening to music” at the time of the crash.
When asked about a possible mechanic malfunction that cause for the bus to stop on the railway, Esley said that the possibility is being investigated, but mostly “it was reckless driving, since the driver was wearing headphones and listening to music.”
However, the most shocking allegations is that the driver apparently jumped out of the bus when he realized that the train was headed towards them, and left everyone inside the bus, leaving everyone inside to their fates.
“The man was distracted and the bus suddenly stopped there. Many witnesses agree on their statements saying that the got out of the bus. He saved his life, avoided danger and abandoned everyone inside,” she explained.
Besides the indictment against the driver, his legal situation could worsen since “leaving the passengers behind is a terrible thing to do. He has direct responsibility over the people he’s transporting.”
“It’s incredible that something like this could happen,” the judge concluded.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald