ATHENS, Texas — The National Transportation Safety Board will not investigate a recent Athens Independent School District fatal bus crash.
According to NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson, the department only investigates a certain number of "highway accidents" per year, therefore, they are "very selective" with the accidents they choose to investigate.
Knudson tells CBS19 local authorities handle the crash investigation.
According to the Athens Police Department's crash report, on Friday, January 25, around 4:30 p.m., an Athens ISD school bus has stopped before crossing the railroad tracks at Cream Level Road, as required by state law.
After moving forward, the train hit the left side of the bus. The locomotive pushed the bus toward the next crossing. The bus hit signs and a railroad gate before the train and bus came to a rest near the North Murchison Street crossing.
There were three people on the bus at the time of the crash, including the driver, a middle school student and an elementary school student.
The driver, John Stevens, 78, was taken to a local hospital, treated for his injuries and released the same day.
Christopher Bonilla, 13, was ejected from the bus and pronounced dead at the scene.
Joselyn Torres, 9, was flown to a Dallas hospital in critical condition.
Torres was released from the medical center the week of Bonilla's funeral, which took place on Friday, February 1.
