The bus accident this weekend that killed 15 people has taken a potential turn toward criminal charges with new disclosures about the bus driver, Ophadell Williams. Williams has reportedly stated that he was hit by a truck before losing control of the bus. Witnesses have now contradicted that account and police have learned that Williams has a long and disturbing record.
Williams was ticketed in 1995 for speeding and twice cited for driving without a license and using an alias (Erik Williams). His driving privileges were suspended in the state. He also has a 20-year-old manslaughter conviction. That charge was moved down from an original second-degree murder charge for his role in a stabbing in 1990. He served a couple years for that offense and served another three years later for grand larceny for removing an $83,905 check from a Police Athletic League fund.
The bus full of gamblers was returning from the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The owner of the tractor-trailer is Webster Trucking Company of Connecticut and Massachusetts. The driver’s record could magnify an already high vulnerability of the company to civil lawsuit. It could also increase the pressure for a settlement with the victims or their families.
Source: New York Daily News
What is up with that scalp?? Can’t find an answer anywhere!!!
>The owner of the tractor-trailer is Webster Trucking Company of >Connecticut and Massachusetts. The driver’s record could magnify >an already high vulnerability of the company to civil lawsuit. It >could also increase the pressure for a settlement with the >victims or their families.
At this point I’m wondering if the truck was even involved.
Other reports have the bus driver weaving to the right prior to the accident. Was he falling asleep at the wheel?
What was he doing while his passengers were gambling?
What you wanna know boy.
What’s with his head?
If he was properly licensed….what does the rest have to do with the accident…. Did he admit…stabbing the guy….of did it have to go to trial….Did he admit to embezzling…or did it have to go to trial….
What it does have in store is the propensity to lie….especially for the embezzlement….a crime…in which you can impeach credibility…. but…if all things are even…what is the issue?
Not all criminals are liars….just dumb….
seamus
1, March 16, 2011 at 12:54 am
Based on Ophadell’s mug shot I’m going to have to assume he’s some sort of super villan from the planet Mongo. What’s with this guy’s melon?
**************
Copy that…..
I agree with frank’s post:
Not really sure how relevant his quoted record is. It appears that it is yet to be seen whether he is culpable in causing the horrific and tragic accident. But we should not presume he is at fault based on what happened 15 – 20 years ago.
Sounds like the bus ride from Hell…or is it to Hell?!
eniobob,
That’s what I thought I heard.
“In fact, as of last month, the driver safety record of the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., company was worse than 99.6 percent of all other bus companies in the country, the DOT said.”
!! Amazing that the company hasn’t been shut down yet. Does the DOT have an accident/death quota a company must meet first??
A friend of mine tried talking me into taking one of the Chinatown Buses to the Stewart/Colbert rally last October because it was cheap … I said, “Uh, thanks but no thanks. I’ll pay the $75 to take a real bus there!”
SL:
Yes.
Tour bus company in fatal N.J. Turnpike crash has among worst U.S. driver safety records
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/tour_bus_company_in_fatal_nj_t.html
Both of these companys originate from Canal Street in Chinatown,the bus stop is right at the bottom of the Manhattan Bridge and Canal street.
eniobob,
“YES!!!”
That’s what I thought … oh, boy. Someone at the bus company is up sh*ts creek without a paddle.
I’m familiar with the area, too and usually avoid it like the plague when heading south on 95. If heading down your way, I usually take 287 over the Tappan Zee, pick up 87 to 95 in Fort Lee. Wasn’t there another bus accident this weekend in your neck of the woods?
Being familiar with the transportation industry,aside from background checks their is finger printing also involved and that alone should have caught Mr. Williams way before he even got a (cdl)commercial drivers license.Which I doubt he had.
That alone is being called into question,some one at the company really closed their eyes and turned their back on this one.
Also being familiar with that highway and where this accident happened,lot of questions,need to be answered.
SL:
“’m curious as to if felony convictions preclude one from obtaining a commercial license.”YES!!!
I don’t have time right now to look into it (will check in a wee bit), but I wonder what state he was licensed in, and I’m curious as to if felony convictions preclude one from obtaining a commercial license.
Well, other than the speeding ticket what does his criminal history have to do with this? I could see a problem if he had a long rap sheet of DUI/speeding/moving violations but one ticket would hardly disqualify a person from bus driving.
HE may not be a nice guy, he may have reformed but either way that is not indicative of a problem for the bus company IMO.
Puzzling:
Government licensing is a good thing. The government protects us from people and circumstances. The government is doing good for the people. You should be ashamed to say otherwise.
Based on Ophadell’s mug shot I’m going to have to assume he’s some sort of super villan from the planet Mongo. What’s with this guy’s melon?
I think the owner of the Bus better start talking to a bankruptcy attorney very quickly. If these past problems are accurate, I would not want a jury to hear this. I don’t think their pockets or the insurance companies’ pockets will be deep enough. So sad.
So was Williams licensed by the government to operate a bus or not?
If so, what is the purpose of this licensing?