[Mr. Ford95]

This is in relation with the bus crash that happened near the 104 in Va on I-95 back in May. The driver is already in enough trouble but he stated that he was ordered by dispatch to drive the bus anyways. From what was first reported on this, it sounded like the dispatcher may have made an off hand comment about the drivers family if he refused to drive the bus which isn't reported here.

The Sky Express bus dispatcher facing charges related to a bus crash that killed four passengers is sitting in a Virginia jail cell.

Zhao Jian Chen, 41, of Greensboro, N.C., was extradited Thursday from Guilford County Jail in North Carolina and is now in custody at the Pamunkey Regional Jail in Hanover County. He is scheduled to appear in Caroline County Circuit Court Wednesday for a hearing on four charges of involuntary manslaughter.

According to a jail official, he has not been placed into the general inmate population yet.

Chen waived extradition on March 1 and Virginia law-enforcement officials had until Saturday to pick him up.

According to Caroline Commonwealth’s Attorney Tony Spencer, Chen is accused of ordering bus driver Kin Yiu Cheung to drive the Sky Express bus last May 31, even though Cheung told him he was too tired.

Cheung, who speaks Mandarin Chinese and limited English, told state police that he was tired and dozed off and then fell asleep before the wreck around 5 that morning on Interstate 95 in Caroline County, according to court documents.

When the driver woke up, the court documents said, he turned the bus hard to the left. The bus ran off the right side of the highway near the Carmel Church exit, hit an embankment and overturned, landing on its roof.

State police spokeswoman Corrine Geller said fatigue was a factor in the crash and speed is what made the bus flip. The speed limit in the crash area is 70 mph.

Of the 58 passengers aboard the bus, 53 were taken to 11 hospitals across the state.

Killed in the crash were Karen Blyden–Decastro, 46, of Cambria Heights, N.Y.; Sie Giok Giang, 63, of Philadelphia; Josefa Torres, 78, of Jamaica, N.Y.; and Denny Estefany Martinez, 25, of Jersey City, N.J.

Cheung is also charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter and has a May 2 court hearing scheduled.

Spencer said the investigation revealed that it was a standard practice at Sky Express to put drivers who were too tired to drive behind the wheel of buses loaded with passengers.

According to federal court documents, Cheung has ties to a Brooklyn couple who are accused of running an operation that helped unqualified bus and truck drivers get licenses.

It is unclear whether Cheung received his commercial driver’s licenses fraudulently, but he did receive his license shortly after passing a road test with a vehicle registered to N&Y Professional Service Line, which recently had its business license suspended while it is being investigated for fraud for allegedly helping drivers cheat on the written test.

Sky Express dispatcher extradited to Virginia - The News Desk

[mitchno1]

over here if you pulled up or on thier weighbridges (your scales)they allways ask who told you to get the load,if you a bit over hrs or over loaded it back to dispatcher and he gets screwed worst than you

[Mr. Ford95]

In hindsight the driver hopefully realizes now that he should have told the dispatcher no or he should have pulled in at the nearest scale and let them take care of it. Buses are rarely pulled over here, they aren't required to go across the scales either. A bus pulling in would have raised a ton of flags with DOT. All he had to do was go inside and tell them that he was being forced to run even though he had no business being out there, that his families well-being had been used against him.

[Malaki86]

I worked at a company a few years back that basically did not care about your HOS. I had just finished an all-day drive from the Boston area to WV. When I walked inside to turn in my paperwork he hands me the paperwork for the next load that delivered 8hrs later 400 miles or so away. I told him that I was out of hours so he hands me a new (blank) log book and told me I have plenty of hours available now.

I wanted to come across the counter and beat the crap out of him.

No - I didn't take that load - I went to the truck and slept.

[repete]

Originally Posted by Malaki86

I worked at a company a few years back that basically did not care about your HOS. I had just finished an all-day drive from the Boston area to WV. When I walked inside to turn in my paperwork he hands me the paperwork for the next load that delivered 8hrs later 400 miles or so away. I told him that I was out of hours so he hands me a new (blank) log book and told me I have plenty of hours available now.

I wanted to come across the counter and beat the crap out of him.

No - I didn't take that load - I went to the truck and slept.

To me what you did is commen sense but to many others I guess it's not!
My hats off to you! Hope others get the message and start saying NO!

[Mr. Ford95]

Ignorance at it's best by the dispatcher at his first hearing:

The Sky Express bus dispatcher facing charges related to a bus crash that killed four passengers told a judge Wednesday he didn’t understand why he was in court.

“I understand that this was an accident,” Zhao Jian Chen said through interpreter Wendy Bokal. “I’m not even sure what is going on. I don’t know of anything. I was just doing my work.”

He was just doing his job..........guess that means it was standard practice then.

Although Chen was not driving, Caroline Commonwealth’s Attorney Tony Spencer said the fact that Chen ordered Cheung to drive that day makes him “an accessory before the fact, which makes him just as liable as the driver.”

Both are facing 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter and up to 40 years in prison.

[repete]

Originally Posted by Mr. Ford95

Both are facing 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter and up to 40 years in prison.

As it should be, but what I don't get is these guys may get 40 years but someone that robs a store and shoots someone gets 10-15 and out in 6.

[Mr. Ford95]

Good chance they both see much less than 40 if convicted repete. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up with 15-20 but have half of it suspended for a total of 7-10 but a chance to walk after just 5. I know our system is really messed up in VA. Tossing a McFlurry at a vehicle can net you 7 years for throwing a missile at an occupied vehicle but a habitual offender plowing into another vehicle while drunk as a skunk and killing someone only nets you 5. Hopefully the judge in Caroline Co isn't like the one's just North of him.

[geeshock]

Originally Posted by repete

To me what you did is commen sense but to many others I guess it's not!
My hats off to you! Hope others get the message and start saying NO!

I to agree with you, if your to tired to drive, you don't drive. It's that simple, amazes me how many ppl drive like maniacs or when they are to tired to drive. You won't be able to enjoy any of that extra money, or suport your fam if your 6 feet under.

[Mr. Ford95]

Originally Posted by geeshock

I to agree with you, if your to tired to drive, you don't drive. It's that simple, amazes me how many ppl drive like maniacs or when they are to tired to drive. You won't be able to enjoy any of that extra money, or suport your fam if your 6 feet under.

Or in jail

Nothing new to report on this case, it's awaiting trial now.