Monday – Five children ages 5 -12 years old died tragically on their way home from school during a school bus accident in Chattanooga, TN. The driver, 24 year old Johnthony Walker lost control of the bus, which swerved off the road and ultimately split in half. Mr. Walker is charged with five counts of vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment, and reckless driving, and will likely face some serious time behind bars.
Tennessee, much like Florida, has harsh mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. Mr. Walker could face upwards of 15 years per count. Although the investigation is still underway, police investigators have concluded that the bus was traveling at speeds exceeding the 30 mile per hour posted speed limit, and are fairly certain speeding likely caused the school bus accident. The police have yet to review the footage from the cameras inside the bus, but one thing is certain; the right criminal defense lawyer could be the catalyst in the outcome of Mr. Walker’s case.
Sadly, in our native Florida, numerous people die on roads and highways due to a variety of reasons. While these deaths are heartbreaking and warrant justice, vehicular manslaughter is not always the right charge. Should you find yourself in a car accident that results in the death of another person, remember: you have the right to remain silent; never make a statement to law enforcement that incriminates you. It is vital that you immediately contact a criminal defense lawyer following a charge involving death as the sooner you retain a lawyer, the more likely the chances of your charges being reduced or dropped. Allow an experienced criminal defense attorney to defend your case. At Gallardo Law Firm, we invest in each individual case, to ensure our clients receive valuable legal advice and dependable representation.
In the event that Mr. Walker’s charges are reduced, his troubles are not over as he will then face wrongful death lawsuits from the families of the deceased. A wrongful death attorney can help defend cases where the wrongful act, such as negligent driving, results in the death of another person. Damages could be sought for the loss of love and companionship in the case of parents losing children.
Monday’s school bus accident, the deaths and injuries that ensued are a tragedy. If you find yourself in an unfortunate tragedy such as the case against Mr. Walker, it’s never too soon to contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer or consult a wrongful death attorney after the fact. Contact the team at the Gallardo Law Firm for your consultation.
