Local

Family Sues Over Fatal School Bus Crash

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga.,None — The family of a 17-year-old killed in a Carroll County school bus crash is suing the school district.

Rashaun Walker’s parents made their intentions known at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

“That was my baby. They stole something. They took something from me,” Walker’s mother, Diana Lockett, said.

The bus flipped in October on Highway 113 in Carroll County, pinning Walker. Driver trainee Kenneth Herringdine was behind the wheel. According to a Georgia State Patrol report, Herringdine had not completed six hours of required training, and students said he was asleep when they boarded the bus. They told investigators they were afraid to ride with him.

As part of a plea deal last month, Herringdine pleaded guilty to failure to maintain and received a $600 fine and 20 months of probation. Walker’s parents said it’s not enough.

“As long as they feel they can do whatever they can, eventually it’s going to happen again,” Walker’s father, Antonio, said.

Herringdine’s plea allows him to keep his commercial driver’s license. Walker’s parents said other children shouldn’t have to die senselessly.

“That was my baby. My child is dead for no reason,” Lockett said.

Previous Stories: July 14, 2011: Report: Students In Fatal Bus Crash Were Afraid To Ride With Driver