$100 Million Lawsuit Filed In School-Bus Crash
Suit Names Bus Company, School, And Trucking Company
Source:  The Associated Press - 10/16/02

A lawsuit seeking $100 million has been filed on behalf of 21 people involved in last week's Monroe County school bus crash, a lawyer announced Wednesday.

At least 48 children and adults were injured in the Oct. 10 crash that occurred when the bus collided with a tractor-trailer loaded with 38 tons of steel coils in Erie Township, about 10 miles northeast of Toledo, Ohio.

The suit filed Tuesday in Monroe County Circuit Court names Trinity Inc., Pierre Toussaint Academy, Northern Steel Transport Company, The Leona Group, bus driver Beverly Smith and truck driver "Joe Doe" as defendants.

Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger announced the suit.

The bus had been carrying 60 children and chaperones from Pierre Toussaint Academy in Detroit to a field trip at an apple orchard. Some children were treated for serious head or internal organ injuries. Others had severe fractures.

Messages seeking comment were left Wednesday with Pierre Toussaint, Trinity and Northern Steel Transport.

Monroe County Sheriff's officials have said that the bus driver failed to yield at an intersection, but no charges have yet been filed.

The suit claims Smith, 27, of Detroit, and the truck driver, previously identified as Clayton McGowan, failed to "use due care and caution" in avoiding the accident. It claims the defendants were negligent -- causing mental anguish, pain and suffering.

Trinity is the bus company that handled transportation to and from the orchard. Northern Steel Transport owns the tractor-trailer. The Leona Group manages Pierre Toussaint, a charter school.

Trinity has said Smith began working for the company three days before the accident and had received two days of training. It also said Smith had previously driven for another company and had an "impeccable" driving record.