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Bus driver charged in PR crash
Published Friday, June 20, 2008
BUFFALO — A driver charged in a band bus crash that killed one Pelican Rapids High School student and injured dozens of others complained about how tired he was just two hours before the crash, a criminal complaint said Thursday.
Loren Duane Ernst, 69, of Moorhead, and another driver bringing the band home from a trip to Chicago took a short break at a Wisconsin rest stop around 4:15 a.m. on April 5.
“Damn I’m getting tired,” Ernst allegedly told the second driver, who had been following in the bus behind him.
The other driver told Ernst he’d noticed him “drifting.” The two already had been driving for hours. Ernst had gotten on the road at 7 p.m. the night before to pick the students up, and had gotten only “2 1/2 to 3 hours” of sleep, the complaint said.
“The defendant (Ernst) admitted it was possible that he could have dozed off at the time of the crash,” the complaint added.
At 6 a.m., Ernst’s bus went off Interstate 94 and crashed into an entrance ramp near Albertville, and rolled onto its side, killing Jessica Weishair, 16, of Barnesville, who was partially ejected from the bus and pinned underneath, and causing serious injuries to seven other passengers. Some 30 others among the 48 passengers had lesser bruises, cuts, and concussions.
The complaint, filed in Wright County, charged Ernst with criminal vehicular homicide, criminal vehicular injury causing substantial bodily harm, and criminal vehicular operation causing bodily harm.
“You must be able to control your vehicle at all times. That’s the law,” State Patrol spokesman Lt. Mark Peterson told reporters, adding, “We’re not talking about just plain dozing off. We’re talking about conduct that was ongoing for some time.”
Simply put, Peterson said, Ernst knew he was tired, acknowledged warning signs, but drove anyway.
The phone at Ernst’s home rang unanswered Thursday evening. He was treated and released from a Monticello hospital after the crash.
Ernst was not in custody. Peterson said authorities would give him a chance to turn himself in to face the charges.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If he was complaining that he was tired. WHY didn't someone else take over and drive? Shouldn't the person in charge of planning this trip have scheduled at least 2 drivers per bus? Maybe the planner should be getting charged with something as well...or the other people who ignored his "I'm tired" cries.
Posted by just_peachy (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand what you are saying otterfan, but if there was another driver available on the bus, I am sure he would have been driving. I would think it would be up to the bus company as to how many drivers they schedule for a trip based upon the amount of driving time. I belive the only one who knew he was tired was the other driver as everyone on the bus was sleeping so they would not have know he was tired & swerving. Sad sad event that has changed how a parent feels when they put their child on a bus.
Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
just_peachy; I know it is very sad, and I understand what you are saying as well. BUT the fergus high schoolers went to new york city and they took many buses and each bus had more than two drivers. So just wondering why this didn't happen for pelican and if he was tired why didn't he pull over or get advised to do so?
I am sure many of these questions will come up in his trial, may justice be served. But most importantly may he also be forgiven.
Posted by SallyRay (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How tragic. It saddens my heart for all who were involved.
Posted by duchess (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it was negligence on the part of the planners and bus company. To PLAN for drivers to drive that long is not acceptable.
Posted by otterfan (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
duchess~~I am on the same page as you!
Posted by goingfishing (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Being tired and still driving is always a bad thing to do. But I still don't think it's as bad as having liquor and drugs in your system while driving. Especially while driving a motorcycle. Some of you who familiar the accident last weekend by Long Lake might be familiar with the motorcyclist in that condition. There is absolutely no excuse for that behavior and now another driver has to live with his actions the rest of her life.
Posted by justme (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, duchess, however, the driver ultimately has the responsibility to follow the laws and keep those kids safe. He should have made the right decision, schedule or not, and pulled over to rest. goingfishing, you couldn't be more wrong. This tragic event is proof that driving while tired can can be just as deadly as can driving under the influence. Your reference to a completely unrelated incident was unneccessary.
Posted by Josephine (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's too bad they didn't sleep in that morning and get home at 10:30 that night, instead of the accident happening around 10:30 in the morning. I've done alot of traveling and I'd say this was a case of poor planning. The bus driver shouldn't face the charges by himself. God bless the families.
Posted by tsy86h (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As a parent this situation breaks my heart. There is so many what ifs and why nots that could be said. I just pray that people learn from this. I know that I have driven when tired as well, and it scares me to think about what could have happen. We live in a world that is so fast paced, we need to learn to slow down, let our minds and bodys rest even if it conflicts with our schedules. This driver made a decision that he will have to live with for the rest of his life. My heart aches for those that lost a loved one. I also pray for the driver as I can not imagine how he must feel and he will have a lot to live with for the rest of his life as he faces charges and as he tries to deal with this awful sitiuation. Let all learn from this and slow down on the road and in our lives!
Posted by mrssaf (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SO VERY SAD! My heart goes out to the Weishair's. We all need to stop and remember we have all the time in the world. One more night and then a drive home the next day would have more than likely saved a life.
Posted by farawaythankgod (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I once took a van from Alexandria to the MSP airport. And the entire time one passenger had to keep the driver engaged in a conversation, because his eyes kept falling shut, which we could see in the rear view mirror.
Yes, the driver in that bus should not have been behind the wheel. But imagine this conversation:
Boss, could you schedule another driver please
why? the other driver can do it by himself. are you too old?
It's typical that only the driver gets charged, not those who make him do the entire trip by himself.
Posted by TKay (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.startribune.com/local/2061811...
Here is a bit more of the procedures that were in place by the bus company according to the Star Tribune. There were four bus drivers. "Richards noted, and patrol reports confirm, that two other drivers drove the two buses on the trip to Chicago on April 2 and that Ernst and another driver, Jake Blotsky, drove the return trip, which began about 10 p.m. April 4. The four drivers shared driving chores around Chicago until about noon April 3, when the back-up drivers took over until the trip back to Minnesota. Ernst and Blotsky were off duty for 31 hours before they left their hotel at 7 p.m. Friday to pick up band members at a Chicago concert, said prosecutor Brian Lutes, who filed charges against Ernst. He said no further charges are being considered."
Posted by bucksteel (anonymous) on June 22, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
goingfishing - according to the OTC Sheriff's office, the motorcyclist had not been drinking - not sure where you got your info, but it is wrong. There is no excuse for posting a rumor like that when you don't even know if it is true.
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