On Jan. 8, a 35-year-old Burton man told authorities he can’t remember crashing his work truck into the rearend of a Goodrich school bus.
The suspect, who at about 6:45 a.m., Jan. 6 allegedly drove a Markee Electric truck into the back of a Goodrich school bus that was stopped in the eastbound lane in the 7400 block of East Bristol Road near Irish Road to pick up students.
There were a total of 13 students from the high school and middle school on the bus at the time. One female student injured in the crash was treated and released from a local medical facility. Parents were notified by the district following the crash. Students on board the bus were transported to the high school for further evaluation and parents were contacted.
Accordiing to Rick Freeman, Davison Chief of Police, the driver of the truck was non-responsive following the crash.
‘With the help of some bystanders at the scene the driver exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot before police arrived,? said Freeman. ‘There were some good people trying to help him out. He ran about a mile-and-a-half before being picked up by an acquaintance along Noblet Road in Davison Township. Police searched nearby fields and roads for the man right after the incident. We also considered the driver may have just wandered off from the accident.?
Freeman said the suspect could not be found for 48 hours.
‘We knew who the suspect was from the very beginning,? said Freeman. ‘We’d been looking for him and then he walked into the police station on Friday (Jan. 8) with his attorney claiming he has no recollection that the accident ever occurred.?
The suspect, who’s name was withheld while prosecutors review the case was released while the investigation continues. Formal charges are expected next week.
‘His attorney assured us he would turn himself in,? he added. ‘It’s also possible that Goodrich School District could receive restitution for the damages and costs associated with the accident.?