Bin Shao, the tour bus driver at the center of last summer’s deadly New York State Thruway wreck, is due back in Genesee County Court on Monday, March 9, as he faces a slate of felony charges in a crash that killed five people and injured dozens. Shao, 56, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of second-degree manslaughter and five counts of criminally negligent homicide, one count for each person who died. The Aug. 22, 2025 rollover on eastbound I-90 near Pembroke triggered a massive emergency response and a federal safety investigation.
According to New York State Police, the 2005 Van Hool motorcoach, operated by M&Y Tour Inc., was carrying 54 people when it veered out of the travel lanes, moved into the median and then tumbled down an embankment. Multiple passengers were ejected, and five were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Area hospitals treated dozens of survivors, and the Red Cross opened a family assistance center as relatives rushed to the region.
What investigators found
The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report describes a chaotic sequence in which the bus first left the roadway onto the right shoulder, then crossed both eastbound lanes, entered the vegetated median, re-entered the eastbound lanes and ultimately rolled onto its right side. That early timeline, released as investigators launched a formal probe, is meant to frame the final analysis and any safety recommendations, according to the NTSB. Preliminary checks, officials have said, showed no sign of mechanical failure or driver impairment.
Arrest and charges
Law enforcement arrested Shao in February after a Genesee County grand jury handed up a sealed indictment. He was arraigned on Feb. 13 and sent to the Genesee County Jail with bail set at $100,000 cash, or $200,000 insured bond, or $400,000 partially secured, according to CBS News. Genesee County District Attorney Kevin Finnell said, “There’s no evidence of driver alcohol impairment,” adding that “the charges stem from the decisions made and the actions taken by Mr. Shao as he operated the bus,” while declining to share additional specifics about the alleged conduct.
Passengers, lawsuits and eyewitness accounts
Survivors told reporters they saw the driver look away from the road just before the coach went out of control. One passenger recounted watching Shao reach back toward a water bottle and then lose control of the vehicle, as reported by WKBW. Two passengers later filed a civil lawsuit against Shao and M&Y Tour Inc., accusing them of negligence and alleging failures in hiring and supervision. Those civil claims are moving ahead on a separate track while the criminal case unfolds.
Safety context
The bus involved was a 2005 model, which predates a 2016 New York law that requires seat belts on certain newer charter buses. Authorities said many passengers appeared not to have been wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, a detail that has drawn attention from investigators and safety advocates, according to AP News. The NTSB and state investigators remain active on the case and could ultimately suggest policy or regulatory changes based on their final report.
What to watch in court
Shao’s case is scheduled for a discovery conference on March 9 in Genesee County Court, a hearing that is expected to help determine the schedule for legal motions, evidence exchange and whether the case heads to trial, according to Spectrum News and public court records. Prosecutors have said they will not discuss detailed investigative findings while the matter is pending.
Legal implications
Under New York law, manslaughter in the second degree is classified as a Class C felony and criminally negligent homicide as a Class E felony. The statutes are codified at provisions cited by Justia and Justia. Class C felonies can carry sentences of up to 15 years in prison, while Class E felonies can carry terms of up to four years, although any eventual sentence would depend on state sentencing rules and the defendant’s criminal history as outlined in state law.
