close

Families sue for negligence in fatal W. Pa. train-bus crash

1 min read

EVANS CITY (AP) – The families of people hurt or killed when a freight train hit their minibus in western Pennsylvania have sued the bus driver and transportation agency for negligence.

The lawsuit Tuesday comes a year after bus driver Frank Schaffner was sentenced to 16 years of probation in the April 2013 crash that killed two people and injured eight.

The bus was transporting senior citizens and people with disabilities in Butler, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Schaffner didn’t stop at the foggy crossing, telling police he’d never encountered a train there before.

Schaffner’s passengers began screaming, but he told police he didn’t hear the train over a radio.

The train was about 70 feet away when Schaffner told police he saw it and tried to accelerate out of its way.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today