Fatal Crash: Child Fatality and 26 Injured as Result of Collision Involving Undocumented Immigrant

A school bus crash in Ohio led to the death of an 11-year-old boy and left 26 other students injured. The driver, previously caught and released at the U.S.-Mexico border, now faces multiple charges, including aggravated vehicular homicide.

Hermanio Joseph, 35, of Haiti, was behind the wheel of a Honda Odyssey minivan when the vehicle collided with a Northwestern Local Schools bus on Troy Road in Lawrenceville, Ohio, on Aug. 22, The Springfield News-Sun reported, adding that Joseph crossed the center line, causing the bus to veer off the road and roll over.

The accident resulted in the death of 11-year-old Aiden Clark, who was ejected from the bus. Another student suffered life-threatening injuries, and dozens were taken to area medical centers for treatment.

The bus was carrying 52 students and a driver at the time of the accident. Joseph was indicted by a Clark County Grand Jury on charges of involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide, according to Fox 19.

A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed to Breitbart that Joseph arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in August 2022, where he was given a notice to appear in federal immigration court by the Department of Homeland Security. He was released into the U.S. Interior under the Biden administration’s border policies.

At the time of the crash, Joseph presented an invalid Mexican driver’s license to Ohio State Highway Patrol officers.

The bond for Joseph was set at $100,000. If convicted, he faces six to 12 months in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. If he posts bond, he will be required to wear a GPS monitoring device and will not be allowed to leave the county.

The community gathered to honor Aiden Clark at his funeral last Monday. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was among those who attended the service. Last week, DeWine announced the creation of the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group.

“There is always more that can be done when it comes to the safety of children, and I believe we have an obligation to take a holistic look at the safety of our school buses,” DeWine said in a statement. “This group’s review will be thorough, focusing on many different aspects of transportation safety.”

An online obituary described Clark as a “caring and inquisitive soul” who loved sports.

“[H]is desire to gain knowledge never stopped, and his weird interests were inspiring and never-ending,” the obituary states. “From his daily vegetable gardening with his dad, trampoline jumping with his big sister, creating Minecraft worlds with his big bro, and always snuggling with mom.”

Clark leaves behind his parents, siblings and grandparents, along with numerous friends and family members.

An online fundraiser for the Clark family has raised tens of thousands of dollars.

All children who were hospitalized following the crash have been released. Charges are not anticipated for anyone other than Joseph.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have placed a detainer on Joseph, requesting custody if he is released from Clark County Jail.

Critics believe that the incident is an example of how the Biden administration’s border policy puts communities at risk.

“The Biden administration’s ‘welcome and release’ agenda continues to put our communities at risk,” John Fabbricatore, an advisory board member of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, told Breitbart. “Their goal is to let in as many poorly vetted illegal aliens as possible, often without proper GPS tracking or scheduled court appearances. When will this administration put public safety first, or is mass migration more important?”