As reported by Maria Armental in the April 19, 2012 edition of the Providence Journal, a Cranston teenager has been cited in connection with a school bus crash. The teenager was driving and his car veered out of his lane and into the school bus. This caused the school bus to crash through a guardrail and into a tree. The bus was carrying children on a field trip. The children suffered minor injuries, but the bus driver was thrown from the bus. The teenager was cited for a laned roadway violation, a civil traffic violation. The teenager could be charged with criminally, with reckless driving.
Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 31-27-4, reckless driving is defined as any person who operates a motor vehicle recklessly so that the lives or safety of the public might be endangered, or operates a vehicle in an attempt to elude or flee from a traffic officer or police vehicle, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first conviction and a felony for the second and each subsequent conviction.
He could also be charged with driving to endanger – physical injury resulting pursuant to R.I.G.L. 31-27-1.2, which is defined as:
(a) When the physical injury of any person ensues as a proximate result of the operation of any vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others, including violations of § 31-27-22, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of "driving so as to endanger, resulting in physical injury".
(b) Any person charged with a violation of this section shall upon conviction be imprisoned for not more than two (2) years and have his or her license to operate a motor vehicle be suspended for no more than one year.
If you or a family member has been charged with reckless driving, drunk driving or other motor vehicle offenses, please allow Attorney Robert H. Humphrey's reputation, experience and skill to successfully guide you through the legal process. Please contact Attorney Robert H. Humphrey, Esq., at 401-816-5862 or e-mail him at rhh@rhumphreylaw.com.