Jackson Jambalaya

it was most likely distracted driving die to some disruptive passengers. I haven’t been on a school bus since I got my driver’s license in 1997. I remember back then there were problem riders and cameras on the buses.

Could also be that school bus drivers drive like assholes too.

buses need forward facing cameras for this reason

The former posts are clear evidence that a police department ought to keep its damned mouth shut pending results of an investigation. Responding to a rumor with a press release is very poor departmental practice. Of course the Chief is 80 years old and the Mayor is in charge.

Only a poorly trained Public Information Officer or a yack-happy member of the command staff needs to be trained in when and what statements need to be released.

There is zero evidence, at this point, as far as the public knows, that the bus driver was at fault.

Sure glad none of you are bus drivers. I couldn't do that job now a days with the kids riding the bus. I know most are ok, but the few create a whole bunch of problems. Hope he/she wasn't impaired. This has to be devastating to the driver.

100% true.

What if the bus was executing a three point turn? This incident possibly took place while reversing. The deceased would've assumed that the bus was going forward leaving them with a clear path.

To your point I do believe that drivers are discouraged from reversing. I live in a cul de sac, and used to have extreme bouts of anxiety (possible property damage) when drivers used my driveway to reverse.

On the other hand it's possible that the deceased entered the roadway as soon as the signs retracted, but the driver would've had to accelerate aggressively from a standstill to create the scenario that I read.

I would not want something like this on my conscious. Just awful.

I feel for the bus driver and his family. I have a friend who hit a drunk pedestrian with his vehicle and killed him. Now the driver suffers from PTSD and is in counseling. Please remember all the victims of this tragedy.

What was MPD thinking when they issued that press release? Mayor Mary and the City Atty must be on vacation.

I get that there are certain stereotypes about bus drivers, but if/when all the evidence comes out and shows the driver was not at fault, are all of you suggesting they were distracted, drunk, or speeding going to apologize? Yeah, didn't think so.

The sad truth is that sometimes small children make mistakes.

This is where being an actual journalist with a working knowledge of newspaper style would help.

"Probably?" What the f*ck are you reporting? Probably? Are you using the "more likely than not" standard for preponderance of the evidence? Is it 51% that the bus driver was sober? Or 65%? Or 99%?

Here's an idea: Don't publish jack sh*t until there are objective facts to report.

Sorta like with the original news, where you dutifully relayed that a child had been struck "by a bus accident," try and act like you've been there before.

Whatever the fuck you say. All I've done is post the press releases just as the rest of the media has done. Period. Key quote: "There are no preliminary indicators that would lead investigators to believe that the driver was impaired;" So I stand by the use of the word "probably" .

Come on, Kingfish, you and I both know that more careful wording could have been used—your commentary does leave the impression that there is a possibility that the bus driver might not have been completely sober, even though there doesn’t appear to be any indication to say that he/she was intoxicated to any degree. You’re a lawyer, right? Being able to use precise, careful language should be (and I would suspect is) within your ability.

I really had trouble getting beyond " probably". The Madison police's credibility ended right then.

I understand you are just reporting what the authorities said, KF and I appreciate it. I would hope the news reporter will ask why a sobriety test wasn't immediately performed as well as a blood test for drugs.

Depends on your definition of lawyer. He would like for us to think he is. But he's not. I need to stroke him in order for this post to appear. Darn!

Although the police press-release was infantile and unprofessional, it did not include the word 'probably'. That was Kingfish's addition.

His whiney post at 9:57, with his usual profanity (when challenged), is duly noted.

The Madison police did not use the work "probably". That was Kingfish's addition to the story.

Maybe because in this state it is not legal to require a blood test other when there is a fatality, and at that point, there was no fatality. Additionally, Gomer, 'sobriety tests' cannot be mandated at the point of the accident. And they are voluntary if hauled into the PoPo station unless a warrant requires a BAC (blood test) if a fatality is involved.