Truck driver charged with criminally negligent homicide in fatal Texas bus crash

The driver of a cement truck that crossed into oncoming traffic, resulting in a collision with a school bus carrying over 40 pre-K students, was arrested on Friday and charged with criminally negligent homicide.

Jerry Hernandez, 42, was apprehended at a residence in Bastrop County without incident, according to Sgt. Deon Cockrell of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Criminally negligent homicide carries a potential penalty of up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. However, Bastrop County online records do not indicate whether Hernandez has legal representation.

The collision on March 22 tragically claimed the lives of 5-year-old Ulises Rodriguez Montoya, a passenger on the bus, and Ryan Wallace, 33, who was driving another vehicle struck by the truck.

Video footage from a dashboard camera on the bus, released by the Hays Consolidated Independent School district, captured the moment the truck abruptly veered across the double-yellow line on a rural highway.

The bus managed to maneuver to avoid a direct head-on collision but was ultimately struck, causing it to roll over and the roof to crumple.

The crash resulted in four individuals being airlifted from the scene in critical condition, while six others with serious injuries were transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals. Apart from the children, the bus also carried 11 adults.

Notably, the school district confirmed that the bus did not have seat belts.