Police Investigating Involuntary Homicide after French Bus Crash

The French bus crash, involving a group of British schoolchildren and their adult supervision, has taken a fresh twist today with the admittance of the driver that he may have been drowsy at the time of the accident.

Derek Thompson, 47, claims to have no recollection of the accident in which one of the British teachers, Peter Rippington, 59, died. The bus was travelling back from a ski trip in Italy and the driver is now being investigated over an allegation of involuntary homicide. He has been released to return to England under the condition that he will return to France  for a  court appearance at a later date.

Dozens of the schoolchildren on board were injured in the French bus crash as the coach flipped over, landing on the bottom of a motorway embankment in Champagne-Ardenne. In the immediate aftermath of the accident abroad, the driver showed no signs of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and only suffered minor injuries. Christian de Rocquigny, a prosecutor, said after the court hearing:

“In his presentation before a judge late Monday afternoon, the driver explained that he had no recollection of the circumstances of the accident. While in custody, after denying falling asleep, the driver acknowledged that it was possible that he was drowsy.”

Witnesses to the accident abroad claim the coach repeatedly swerved towards a verge and showed signs of unexplained variations in speed in the nine minutes before the accident, according to the tachograph report.

French Bus Crash Involved 49 UK Citizens

The majority of the 49 UK citizens on board the French bus crash have now returned home, according to the Foreign Office, with seven people remaining in French hospitals to be treated for their injuries. A 13 year old girl has been transferred to the Necker children’s hospital in Paris to treat her critical injuries.

The Foreign Office are continuing to provide consular support within France for those affected by the French bus crash as the family, friends and school of Mr Rippington come to terms with his sad death. His family were also caught up in the French bus crash, with his wife Sharon and their daughter Amy, escaping with injuries. A statement from their family was released yesterday:

“We, as a family, are devastated at the tragic loss of Peter, a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, son-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, friend and teacher.”

French Bus Crash – Accident Abroad

It remains to be seen whether the bus driver involved in the French bus crash will be found guilty of involuntary homicide, and the effects this will have with regard to any compensation packages available to those people who have been affected by the accident abroad.

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