Woman Charged in Minn. School Bus Crash

[February 23, 2008]  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The driver of a van that hit a school bus in a crash that killed four children was charged Friday with four counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two lesser charges, authorities said.

The woman, identified as Alianiss Nunez Morales, 23, of Minneota, failed to stop at a stop sign Tuesday before hitting the bus, which was carrying 28 students from Lakeview School, a prosecutor said. The accident happened near the small town of Cottonwood in southwestern Minnesota.

Morales was also charged with a stop sign violation and for driving without a valid license, Lyon County Attorney Richard Maes said.

Authorities said Morales is not the woman's real name, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were trying to figure out her true identity. Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of investigations, said Morales told investigators she was from Mexico, and his agency believes she is in the country illegally.

Morales does not have a Minnesota driver's license, and "she doesn't have a (driver's license) anywhere that we're aware of," said Lt. Mark Peterson of the Minnesota State Patrol.

The criminal vehicular homicide charges are felonies, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The other charges are misdemeanors.

Morales was expected to make her first court appearance Friday.

Morales told police through an interpreter that she stopped at the stop sign, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday.

"She stated that she stopped for the stop sign and that when she took off, the bus hit her," according to a statement of probable cause.

The bus driver, Dennis Devereaux, told police it appeared the van wasn't going to stop, and "he did not have time to hit the brakes or accelerate."

Two brothers, the daughter of a teacher at Lakeview School and the son of a former teacher, all passengers on the bus, were killed. Six people, five of them students, remained hospitalized Friday at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., spokesman Kenyon Gleason said. One was close to being released, two were in fair condition and two were serious; the adult at the hospital was in fair condition.

Another student remained hospitalized at Mayo Clinic in fair condition.

Funerals for Hunter Javens, 9, and Jesse Javens, 13, were to be held at the school Monday.

A funeral for Emilee Olson, 9, was set for Sunday at a Cottonwood church, while arrangements for Reed Stevens, 12, of Marshall, were pending.

[Associated Press; By ELIZABETH DUNBAR]

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