Jacob McDonald, the truck driver involved in the tragic Tusky Valley bus crash that claimed six lives, is facing sentencing on Monday, Dayton 24/7 Now reports. Initially charged with 26 counts, McDonald was found guilty on six counts of vehicular homicide, classed as misdemeanors, and acquitted of felony charges, including aggravated vehicular homicide, according to Cleveland 19.
The fatal incident occurred on November 14, 2023, when a semi driven by McDonald rear-ended a charter bus carrying students and chaperones from the Tusky Valley Middle-High School, Licking County Court of Common Pleas Judge David Branstool during the bench trial found McDonald guilty but ruled that evidence did not conclusively prove recklessness, bringing down the sentence from a potential felony to a misdemeanor, 10TV reported. Noteworthy among the deceased were three students: John "Wyatt" Mosley, 18, Jeffery "J.D." Worrell, 18, and Katelyn Owens, 15; alongside a teacher and two chaperones: Dave Kennat, 56, Kristy Gaynor, 39, and Shannon Wigfield, 45.
The prosecution and defense presented conflicting views on McDonald's recklessness with the prosecution arguing the presence of multiple factors pointing to McDonald's reckless behavior, Prosecutor Clifford Murphy expressed disappointment with the ruling, saying, "They suffered a tremendous loss. It’s an incalculable loss and, you know, unfortunately the system didn’t serve them in this particular case," as Cleveland 19 covered. In contrast, Defense Attorney Chris Brigdon espoused the diligence of the defense, "I can’t even fathom that that sort of loss. You know, we’re just we tried this case within the confines of the law. You know, everybody’s entitled to. The best possible defense and you know, we did our job the best that I possibly could," Brigdon told Cleveland 19.
Judge Branstool did not accept the defendant's arguments about data from their cell phone as credible evidence during the trial. The judge's decision potentially limits McDonald's sentence to a maximum of 18 months in prison, with McDonald's sentencing set to commence at 9:30 a.m., The crash caused a chain reaction on Interstate 70 as McDonald's semi, traveling at 70 mph, failed to slow down and collided with a charter bus en route to a school event according to Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers as detailed by 10TV.
