Georgia Bus Driver Charged After Child Hit and Injured

A school bus driver has been charged after a middle school student was hit by an SUV.

Not many details have been released, but the driver allegedly neglected to alert the school bus lights as the child was crossing the street. The charges faced by the driver are unknown as of right now.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the offense of serious injury by vehicle as this is most likely one of the offenses the driver is facing.

Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia

Serious injury by vehicle in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law as:

…causing bodily harm to another by depriving him of a member of his body, by rendering a member of his body useless, by seriously disfiguring his body or a member thereof, or by causing organic brain damage which renders the body or any member thereof useless through the violation of O.C.G.A. § 4-6-390 [Reckless Driving in Georgia] or O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391 [DUI in Georgia]. Georgia Code §40-6-394.

The law behind serious injury by vehicle does not require that any malicious intent to harm be proven.  As a result, defenses such as where a person did not intend to get in an accident or drive recklessly are not legally relevant.

Serious injury by vehicle is classified as a felony offense in Georgia. The minimum sentence for serious injury by vehicle is one year in prison, and the maximum is 15 years in prison.  Very rarely is the minimum sentenced if there has been a very serious injury.

Practice Note

Contact our offices now if you or a loved one has been arrested.