The bus accident and injury lawyers of Kooi have learned that a five year old Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter student, Donasty Smith, 5, and her bus driver, Thomas Spencer II, 60, of Indianapolis, were fatally injured this morning when their bus inexplicably hit a concrete overpass support. Witnesses and investigators are baffled at what cause the school bus to strike the support as the vehicle had been traveling normally prior to the impact with the bridge. Public Information officer for the Indianapolis police indicated “[t]he bus had completed its rounds and was on its way to school. For some reason, it struck the bridge here”.
Ten more students were injured in the bus accident, with two boys suffering from critical injuries. Four people had to be extricated from the bus. The two boys remaining in critical condition were transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital.
After officials were able to contact the decedent’s family, the driver’s, Spencer, family released a statement noting , “He was a good man who cared about the kids he drove and was committed to getting them to school safely.”
The uninjured students on the bus at the time of the crash were were placed in another bus and taken to school, which was only a few short blocks from the scene of the bus crash. Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter School dismissed classes early, and asked parents to come to the school to get their children. In doing so, Principal Kelli Marshall and Principal Ryan Gall released the following statement:
“Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter School is deeply saddened by the injuries and loss of life that occurred this morning during a tragic school bus accident. As the safety of our students is the primary concern at Lighthouse, this tragedy has hit our school hard. We share the pain felt by so many and grieve with the families of the students and bus driver involved.”
According to reports, the bus was owned and operated by Miller Transportation. Miller operated as a private entity under contract with Lighthouse Charter to provide bus service for students.
