Bluffton University bus accident
Encyclopedia
The Bluffton University bus accident was an automobile accident which occurred during the early morning hours of March 2, 2007, on Interstate 75 in Atlanta, Georgia
.
A chartered motorcoach was carrying 33 members of the Bluffton University
baseball team from Bluffton, Ohio
on their way to a tournament game during spring break in Sarasota, Florida
. The group planned to travel without an overnight stop on the approximately 900-mile, 18-hour trip. The trip went without incident from Bluffton south to a motel in Adairsville, Georgia
, located 54 miles north of Atlanta
, which was near the half-way point. There, a relief driver, who had been positioned earlier in order to have the required sleep period, took over and began operating the second half of the trip to Florida
.
About 5:38 AM EDT, operating the motorcoach southbound in a left-hand HOV lane of I-75 in the Atlanta metropolitan area, the driver apparently mistakenly entered a left HOV-only exit ramp from the HOV lane, which led upward to a wide elevated road and a T-junction marked by a stop sign. The bus was traveling at highway speed, when it reached the top of the ramp and the stop sign. As the driver of the motorcoach failed to successfully stop or turn, and lost control, the bus slid sideways into a concrete bridge wall and chain-link security fence and fell 19 feet, landing on its left side across the Interstate highway below.
Within minutes, multiple emergency services from the Atlanta area were on the scene. The 29 passengers who originally survived the crash were taken to Atlanta-area hospitals. Seven motorcoach occupants were killed: the driver, his wife, and five passengers. Seven other passengers received serious injuries, and 21 passengers received minor injuries.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) dispatched a team to the scene and began an investigation. Local and state police and officials of the Georgia Department of Transportation
(GDOT) also investigated. In its final report, the NTSB determined that the probable cause was "the motorcoach driver's mistaking the HOV-only left exit ramp to Northside Drive for the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane." A contributing factor to the accident was "failure of the Georgia Department of Transportation to install adequate traffic control devices to identify the separation and divergence of the Northside Drive HOV-only left exit ramp from the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane." The NTSB further determined that contributing to the severity of the accident was "the motorcoach's lack of an adequate occupant protection system."
, about 50 miles or 80 km south of Toledo, Ohio
. The university
is a Christian liberal arts
college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA
. It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913. The name Bluffton University was adopted later on in 2004.
Bluffton is a member of NCAA Division III and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Its sports teams are nicknamed the Beavers; the school colors are royal purple and white.
, which is located about 10 miles north of Bluffton, Ohio.
The bus was a 2000 Van Hool
T2145 57-passenger motorcoach. (In U.S. terminology, a motorcoach is a type of intercity bus
designed and equipped for long-distance travel). The bus had passed a safety inspection by the Ohio Highway Patrol on February 23, just seven days before the crash.
, only a few minutes' drive away from Bluffton. Jerry had been driving buses for years for several school events and trips, specifically for Executive Coach Luxury Travel Inc. He had transported the team on the same route a year before. Shortly before the team's 2007 trip to Florida
, Jean quit her job at the local McDonald's
in Ottawa, Ohio
. Residents of these small towns said that the couple would try to be together whenever they had the chance. They would give of themselves in their jobs and careers according to several residents and co-workers.
The Niemeyers checked into a Comfort Inn at Adairsville just after 7:30 p.m. the evening before the crash. From all indications, Jerry Niemeyer had had the rest period required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Standards before taking over the motorcoach. Blood and urine samples from his body would later show the presence of ibuprofen, therapeutic levels of the antidepressant Sertraline and the anti-hypertensive drug Atenolol, and conclude that he had no alcohol in his system.
Jerry Niemeyer took over as the driver earlier in the morning at a motel
in Adairsville, Georgia
when it was time for a driver switch. Shortly before this, he and his wife, Jean Niemeyer, checked out of their hotel at around 3 a.m. and had placed an order from the local pizza parlor.
About an hour later, they were in Atlanta, heading south on Interstate 75 in the high-occupancy vehicle lane
. The driver, Jerome Niemeyer, apparently mistaken, drove left onto an exit ramp for Northside Drive (U.S. 41). The ramp, constructed in 1996, rose upward to a wide elevated road and a T-junction marked by a stop sign
.
Without braking, the bus swerved rightward across the road, attempting to go southbound on Northside Drive. Unable to make the turn, it hit the low barrier wall, which caused the back end of the bus to swing around to the right, pointing it due northbound. The momentum
of this swing caused the entire right side of the bus to crash into and then over the low wall and through the guard rail
on top of it. Flipping over 270° (¾-rotation), it dropped to the freeway below, landing on its left side and hitting a pickup truck
. The pickup's driver, who rapidly accelerated when he saw the bus plunging, was not hurt.
, the largest hospital in Atlanta, Georgia
with a level 1 trauma center
. An entire wing was cleared out for the baseball players and their families. Several players were also treated at Atlanta Medical Center
, a Level 2 trauma center
. The team coach was treated at Piedmont Hospital
.
Of the 35 people on the bus, the following individuals were killed as a result of the crash.
, one of whom, Zachery Arend, later died. As of March 15, 2007, James Grandey was reported in good condition and released. Many of the others were treated and released.
and National Transportation Safety Board
investigated. Meanwhile, preliminary tests ruled out the possibility of a mechanical failure.
"The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the motorcoach driver’s mistaking the HOV-only left exit ramp to Northside Drive for the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane. Contributing to the accident driver’s route mistake was the failure of the Georgia Department of Transportation to install adequate traffic control devices to identify the separation and divergence of the Northside Drive HOV-only left exit ramp from the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the motorcoach’s lack of an adequate occupant protection system."
"Major safety issues identified in this accident include inadequate HOV traffic control devices, inadequate motor carrier driver oversight, lack of event data recorders on motorcoaches, and lack of motorcoach occupant protection. As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board makes recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration and to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The Safety Board also reiterates four recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."
The Executive Summary and a PDF file copy of the entire NTSB report are available at this link: http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2008/HAR0801.htm
Of particular interest in the investigation is the design of the exit itself. Several factors appear to have played a possible role:
Department of Transportation
made changes to all seven of the left-hand lane HOV interchanges in Atlanta, starting March 14, 2007. The final NTSB report urged further changes than the ones already made.
Doctors from Grady Memorial Hospital began phoning congressmen from Ohio
and Georgia soon after the accident urging them to put seat belt
s on Charter Buses to avoid this situation in the near future. For a list of changes see Changes ordered for bus crash HOV ramp.
In December 2009, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a new edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, incorporating changes recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. One of the changes, in response to the inadequate marking of an HOV lane exit at Northside Drive in Atlanta, is the addition of different lane markings for lanes not continuing beyond an intersection or interchange to give drivers more warning that they need to switch lanes if they don’t intend to turn.
.
The funeral for David Betts took place at Bryan High School
in Bryan, Ohio
on March 9, 2007. Scott Harmon was eulogized on March 7, 2007, at Elida High School in Elida, Ohio
, just west of Bluffton, Ohio
. A service for Tyler Williams was held on March 8, 2007, at Phillipian Missionary Baptist Church in Lima, Ohio
.
Cody Holp was laid to rest in Lewisburg, Ohio
where funeral services took place at Lewisburg United Methodist Church on March 8, 2007. A mass of Christian burial took place March 16, 2007, for Zachary Arend at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Paulding, Ohio
at 10 a.m.
campus for the memorial service on March 12, 2007, and an overflow audience listened outside as the student body mourned together for the first time. The service was attended by Ohio
Governor
Ted Strickland
, numerous other public officials, college and university representatives, Mennonite Church officials, AirTran
employees, other athletes from colleges in the same conference, and fire and rescue personnel.
The memorial ceremony was aired live by satellite to Georgia
, where the team's coach and several other players were still recovering in the hospital.
First, the insurer for Executive Coach paid its policy limits of $5 million required under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Second, the State of Georgia paid $3 million to the crash victim due to claims of negligent design of the ramp, intersection and signage. The Georgia State Tort Claims Act limits the liability of state governmental entities to a maximu mof $1 million per person and $3 million per occurrence, no matter how many were hurt.
Third, after the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that the university's liability insurance policies were applicable to the bus driver because the coach retained control over the driver, that added a total of $21 million coverage to the pool. At that point, the insurance companies holding the first two layers of the university's insurance coverage tendered their respective policy limits, of $1 million and $5 million, in the spring of 2011.
Finally, on July 29, 2011, in a mediation in Columbus, Ohio, the last insurer for Bluffton University, with limits of $15 million, agreed to pay an additional $11 million, to be allocated among claimants according to their agreement. The mediator was Art Glaser from Atlanta. Over two dozen lawyers from Atlanta and Ohio were involved.
call came in from Brandon Freytag on the charter bus, pleading for help.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
A chartered motorcoach was carrying 33 members of the Bluffton University
Bluffton University
Bluffton University, located in Bluffton, Ohio, United States, is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913...
baseball team from Bluffton, Ohio
Bluffton, Ohio
Bluffton is a village in Allen and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It had a population of 3,896 at the 2000 census. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. Bluffton is served by the Bluffton general aviation...
on their way to a tournament game during spring break in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
. The group planned to travel without an overnight stop on the approximately 900-mile, 18-hour trip. The trip went without incident from Bluffton south to a motel in Adairsville, Georgia
Adairsville, Georgia
Adairsville is a city in Bartow County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,542 at the 2000 census. As of 2007 data Adairsville's population was 3,076: 1,414 males and 1,662 females. Adairsville is south of Calhoun, northeast of Rome and north of Atlanta.-Geography:Adairsville is an...
, located 54 miles north of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, which was near the half-way point. There, a relief driver, who had been positioned earlier in order to have the required sleep period, took over and began operating the second half of the trip to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
About 5:38 AM EDT, operating the motorcoach southbound in a left-hand HOV lane of I-75 in the Atlanta metropolitan area, the driver apparently mistakenly entered a left HOV-only exit ramp from the HOV lane, which led upward to a wide elevated road and a T-junction marked by a stop sign. The bus was traveling at highway speed, when it reached the top of the ramp and the stop sign. As the driver of the motorcoach failed to successfully stop or turn, and lost control, the bus slid sideways into a concrete bridge wall and chain-link security fence and fell 19 feet, landing on its left side across the Interstate highway below.
Within minutes, multiple emergency services from the Atlanta area were on the scene. The 29 passengers who originally survived the crash were taken to Atlanta-area hospitals. Seven motorcoach occupants were killed: the driver, his wife, and five passengers. Seven other passengers received serious injuries, and 21 passengers received minor injuries.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
(NTSB) dispatched a team to the scene and began an investigation. Local and state police and officials of the Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Department of Transportation
The Georgia Department of Transportation is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developing public transportation and general aviation programs...
(GDOT) also investigated. In its final report, the NTSB determined that the probable cause was "the motorcoach driver's mistaking the HOV-only left exit ramp to Northside Drive for the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane." A contributing factor to the accident was "failure of the Georgia Department of Transportation to install adequate traffic control devices to identify the separation and divergence of the Northside Drive HOV-only left exit ramp from the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane." The NTSB further determined that contributing to the severity of the accident was "the motorcoach's lack of an adequate occupant protection system."
Bluffton University
Bluffton University is located in Bluffton, OhioBluffton, Ohio
Bluffton is a village in Allen and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It had a population of 3,896 at the 2000 census. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. Bluffton is served by the Bluffton general aviation...
, about 50 miles or 80 km south of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
is a Christian liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA
Mennonite Church USA
The Mennonite Church USA, or MCUSA, is an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the United States. Although the organization is a recent 2002 merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, the body has roots in the Radical Reformation of the 16th century...
. It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913. The name Bluffton University was adopted later on in 2004.
Bluffton is a member of NCAA Division III and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Its sports teams are nicknamed the Beavers; the school colors are royal purple and white.
Executive Coach charter bus
Executive Coach Luxury Travel, Inc. was the company which was operating the chartered motorcoach type bus. The company is based in Ottawa, OhioOttawa, Ohio
Ottawa is a village in and the county seat of Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,460 at the 2010 census.-History:In 1792 Major Alexander Truman, his servant William Lynch and guide/interpreter William Smalley were sent by George Washington on a peace mission...
, which is located about 10 miles north of Bluffton, Ohio.
The bus was a 2000 Van Hool
Van Hool
Van Hool NV is a Belgian coachbuilder and manufacturer of buses, coaches, trolleybuses, and trailers.The company was founded in 1947 by Bernard van Hool in Koningshooikt, nearby Lier, Belgium. In the early years, the company introduced serial production and exported their products all over Europe...
T2145 57-passenger motorcoach. (In U.S. terminology, a motorcoach is a type of intercity bus
Intercity bus
An intercity bus is a bus that carries passengers significant distances between different cities, towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a municipal bus, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus generally has a single stop at a centralized location within the city, and...
designed and equipped for long-distance travel). The bus had passed a safety inspection by the Ohio Highway Patrol on February 23, just seven days before the crash.
Bus driver
Jerome "Jerry" Niemeyer and his wife, Jean Niemeyer, were residents of the small town of Columbus Grove in Putnam County, OhioPutnam County, Ohio
Putnam County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,499. The name is in honor of Israel Putnam, who was a hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. Its county seat is...
, only a few minutes' drive away from Bluffton. Jerry had been driving buses for years for several school events and trips, specifically for Executive Coach Luxury Travel Inc. He had transported the team on the same route a year before. Shortly before the team's 2007 trip to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Jean quit her job at the local McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
in Ottawa, Ohio
Ottawa, Ohio
Ottawa is a village in and the county seat of Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,460 at the 2010 census.-History:In 1792 Major Alexander Truman, his servant William Lynch and guide/interpreter William Smalley were sent by George Washington on a peace mission...
. Residents of these small towns said that the couple would try to be together whenever they had the chance. They would give of themselves in their jobs and careers according to several residents and co-workers.
The Niemeyers checked into a Comfort Inn at Adairsville just after 7:30 p.m. the evening before the crash. From all indications, Jerry Niemeyer had had the rest period required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Standards before taking over the motorcoach. Blood and urine samples from his body would later show the presence of ibuprofen, therapeutic levels of the antidepressant Sertraline and the anti-hypertensive drug Atenolol, and conclude that he had no alcohol in his system.
Jerry Niemeyer took over as the driver earlier in the morning at a motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
in Adairsville, Georgia
Adairsville, Georgia
Adairsville is a city in Bartow County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,542 at the 2000 census. As of 2007 data Adairsville's population was 3,076: 1,414 males and 1,662 females. Adairsville is south of Calhoun, northeast of Rome and north of Atlanta.-Geography:Adairsville is an...
when it was time for a driver switch. Shortly before this, he and his wife, Jean Niemeyer, checked out of their hotel at around 3 a.m. and had placed an order from the local pizza parlor.
About an hour later, they were in Atlanta, heading south on Interstate 75 in the high-occupancy vehicle lane
High-occupancy vehicle lane
In transportation engineering and transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane is a lane reserved for vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers...
. The driver, Jerome Niemeyer, apparently mistaken, drove left onto an exit ramp for Northside Drive (U.S. 41). The ramp, constructed in 1996, rose upward to a wide elevated road and a T-junction marked by a stop sign
Stop sign
A Stop sign is a traffic sign to notify drivers that they must stop before proceeding.-Specifications:The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals proposed standard stop sign diameters of 0.6, 0.9 or 1.2 metres. UK and New Zealand stop signs are 750, 900 or 1200 mm, according to sign...
.
Without braking, the bus swerved rightward across the road, attempting to go southbound on Northside Drive. Unable to make the turn, it hit the low barrier wall, which caused the back end of the bus to swing around to the right, pointing it due northbound. The momentum
Momentum
In classical mechanics, linear momentum or translational momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object...
of this swing caused the entire right side of the bus to crash into and then over the low wall and through the guard rail
Guard rail
Guard rail or guardrail, sometimes referred to as guide rail or railing, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limits areas...
on top of it. Flipping over 270° (¾-rotation), it dropped to the freeway below, landing on its left side and hitting a pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
. The pickup's driver, who rapidly accelerated when he saw the bus plunging, was not hurt.
Hospital response
The majority of the injured baseball players were transported to Grady Memorial HospitalGrady Memorial Hospital
Grady Memorial Hospital, frequently referred to as Grady Hospital or simply Grady, is the largest hospital in the state of Georgia and the public hospital for the city of Atlanta. It is the 5th largest public hospital in the United States, as well as one the busiest Level I trauma centers in the...
, the largest hospital in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
with a level 1 trauma center
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
. An entire wing was cleared out for the baseball players and their families. Several players were also treated at Atlanta Medical Center
Atlanta Medical Center
Atlanta Medical Center is a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia operated by Tenet Healthcare. It has 460 beds and over 700 physicians, a Level I trauma center, a Level III neonatal unit, and supports air ambulance service via heliport. It was formerly known as Georgia Baptist Hospital.-History:On...
, a Level 2 trauma center
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
. The team coach was treated at Piedmont Hospital
Piedmont Hospital
Piedmont Hospital is a major hospital at 2002 Peachtree Road at Collier Road in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia.-Washington Street location:...
.
Fatalities
Seven fatalities overall were recorded. One baseball player, Tim Berta, 22, of Ida, Michigan was in critical condition as of April 13.Of the 35 people on the bus, the following individuals were killed as a result of the crash.
| People who died in the Bluffton University Bus Accident | ||||||
| Name | Year | Age | Hometown | # | Position | Death Date |
| Zachary Arend | Freshman Freshman A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a... |
18 | Oakwood, Ohio Oakwood, Paulding County, Ohio Oakwood is a village in Paulding County, Ohio, United States. The population was 607 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakwood is located at .... |
19 | Pitcher | March 9, 2007 (from injuries) |
| David Betts | Sophomore Sophomore Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a... |
20 | Bryan, Ohio Bryan, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 8,333 people, 3,528 households, and 2,155 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,821.7 people per square mile . There were 3,733 housing units at an average density of 816.1 per square mile... |
4 | Second-Baseman | March 2, 2007 |
| Scott Harmon | Freshman Freshman A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a... |
19 | Lima, Ohio Lima, Ohio Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo.... |
17 | Third-Baseman | March 2, 2007 |
| Cody Holp | Freshman Freshman A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a... |
19 | Arcanum, Ohio Arcanum, Ohio Arcanum is a village in Darke County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,076 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Arcanum is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.... |
18 | Pitcher | March 2, 2007 |
| Jean Niemeyer | 61 | Columbus Grove, Ohio Columbus Grove, Ohio Columbus Grove is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbus Grove is located at .... |
Bus Driver's wife | March 2, 2007 | ||
| Jerome Niemeyer | 65 | Columbus Grove, Ohio Columbus Grove, Ohio Columbus Grove is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbus Grove is located at .... |
Bus Driver | March 2, 2007 | ||
| Tyler Williams | Sophomore Sophomore Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a... |
19 | Lima, Ohio Lima, Ohio Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo.... |
3 | Outfielder | March 2, 2007 |
Injuries
The 29 passengers that originally survived the crash were taken to Atlanta-area hospitals, including Grady, Atlanta Medical Center, and Piedmont Hospital. Baseball coach James Grandey, 29, and four players were reported in serious or critical conditionCritical Condition
Critical condition is a medical state.Critical Condition may also be:* Critical Condition , an episode of the television series Sex and the City* Critical Condition , a 1987 comedy film...
, one of whom, Zachery Arend, later died. As of March 15, 2007, James Grandey was reported in good condition and released. Many of the others were treated and released.
Cause and investigation
Allegedly poor design of the exit itself soon became the primary source of blame. The Atlanta Police DepartmentAtlanta Police Department
The Atlanta Police Department is the law enforcement agency of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.The city shifted from its rural-based Marshal and Deputy Marshal model at the end of the 19th century. In 1873, the department was formed with 26 officers...
and National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
investigated. Meanwhile, preliminary tests ruled out the possibility of a mechanical failure.
National Transportation Safety Board report
A preliminary report was issued about a week after the accident, according to the NTSB chairman. A final report was released in July 2008. Regarding cause, the NTSB stated:"The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the motorcoach driver’s mistaking the HOV-only left exit ramp to Northside Drive for the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane. Contributing to the accident driver’s route mistake was the failure of the Georgia Department of Transportation to install adequate traffic control devices to identify the separation and divergence of the Northside Drive HOV-only left exit ramp from the southbound Interstate 75 HOV through lane. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the motorcoach’s lack of an adequate occupant protection system."
"Major safety issues identified in this accident include inadequate HOV traffic control devices, inadequate motor carrier driver oversight, lack of event data recorders on motorcoaches, and lack of motorcoach occupant protection. As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board makes recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration and to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The Safety Board also reiterates four recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."
The Executive Summary and a PDF file copy of the entire NTSB report are available at this link: http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2008/HAR0801.htm
I-75 and HOV lane in Atlanta
- The exit is on the left-hand side of the highway and not the right-hand side;
- Inadequate advance notice may have been given of this atypical setup;
- The HOV exit is signed differently than standard exits;
- The arrow on the exit sign may mislead drivers where the HOV lane continues;
- The exit ramp has poor signage.
Aftereffects
The GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Department of Transportation
Georgia Department of Transportation
The Georgia Department of Transportation is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developing public transportation and general aviation programs...
made changes to all seven of the left-hand lane HOV interchanges in Atlanta, starting March 14, 2007. The final NTSB report urged further changes than the ones already made.
Doctors from Grady Memorial Hospital began phoning congressmen from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Georgia soon after the accident urging them to put seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s on Charter Buses to avoid this situation in the near future. For a list of changes see Changes ordered for bus crash HOV ramp.
In December 2009, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a new edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, incorporating changes recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. One of the changes, in response to the inadequate marking of an HOV lane exit at Northside Drive in Atlanta, is the addition of different lane markings for lanes not continuing beyond an intersection or interchange to give drivers more warning that they need to switch lanes if they don’t intend to turn.
Funerals
The funeral for Jerome and Jean Niemeyer took place on March 7, 2007, at St. Anthony's Catholic Parish in Columbus Grove, OhioColumbus Grove, Ohio
Columbus Grove is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbus Grove is located at ....
.
The funeral for David Betts took place at Bryan High School
Bryan High School (Bryan, Ohio)
Bryan High School is a public high school in Bryan, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Bryan City Schools district. Their nickname is the Golden Bears. They are members of the Northwest Ohio Athletic League and are the largest school participating in the league...
in Bryan, Ohio
Bryan, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,333 people, 3,528 households, and 2,155 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,821.7 people per square mile . There were 3,733 housing units at an average density of 816.1 per square mile...
on March 9, 2007. Scott Harmon was eulogized on March 7, 2007, at Elida High School in Elida, Ohio
Elida, Ohio
Elida is a village in Allen County, Ohio, United States with a population of 1,917 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Elida is located at ....
, just west of Bluffton, Ohio
Bluffton, Ohio
Bluffton is a village in Allen and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It had a population of 3,896 at the 2000 census. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. Bluffton is served by the Bluffton general aviation...
. A service for Tyler Williams was held on March 8, 2007, at Phillipian Missionary Baptist Church in Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
.
Cody Holp was laid to rest in Lewisburg, Ohio
Lewisburg, Ohio
Lewisburg is a village in Preble County, Ohio, United States, founded in 1818. The current village incorporates two prior villages, the original Lewisburg and Euphemia, which merged in 1916. The population was 1,798 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical...
where funeral services took place at Lewisburg United Methodist Church on March 8, 2007. A mass of Christian burial took place March 16, 2007, for Zachary Arend at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Paulding, Ohio
Paulding, Ohio
Paulding is a village in and the county seat of Paulding County, Ohio, United States. It is located predominantly in Paulding Township. The population was 3,595 at the 2000 census.-History:...
at 10 a.m.
Memorial services
Hundreds of people packed Founders Hall on the Bluffton UniversityBluffton University
Bluffton University, located in Bluffton, Ohio, United States, is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913...
campus for the memorial service on March 12, 2007, and an overflow audience listened outside as the student body mourned together for the first time. The service was attended by Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
, numerous other public officials, college and university representatives, Mennonite Church officials, AirTran
AirTran
AirTran may refer to:* AirTran Airways, a low cost airline* AirTran Holdings, an airline holding company* AirTran JetConnect, an outsourced and defunct brand operated by Air Wisconsin* Airtrans APM, an automated people mover system...
employees, other athletes from colleges in the same conference, and fire and rescue personnel.
The memorial ceremony was aired live by satellite to Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, where the team's coach and several other players were still recovering in the hospital.
Statements
- Student, Sherrolyn Young, who attended Bluffton UniversityBluffton UniversityBluffton University, located in Bluffton, Ohio, United States, is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913...
in OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
released this statement to the press:
- Rev. Ron Warnimont told The Lima NewsThe Lima NewsThe Lima News is a local daily newspaper aimed at residents from Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Putnam, Shelby and Van Wert counties in Ohio. The newspaper's headquarters are located in Lima, Ohio.-External links:* *...
out of Lima, OhioLima, OhioLima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
this about Jerome and Jean Niemeyer:
- Executive Coach Luxury Travel, Inc. out of Ottawa, OhioOttawa, OhioOttawa is a village in and the county seat of Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,460 at the 2010 census.-History:In 1792 Major Alexander Truman, his servant William Lynch and guide/interpreter William Smalley were sent by George Washington on a peace mission...
posted this statement on their website shortly after the accident:
- Senior, Steve Bogan, who attended Bluffton UniversityBluffton UniversityBluffton University, located in Bluffton, Ohio, United States, is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913...
released this statement to the press:
- Donald Pannabecker, vice president and dean of academic affairs emritus, told The Lima NewsThe Lima NewsThe Lima News is a local daily newspaper aimed at residents from Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Putnam, Shelby and Van Wert counties in Ohio. The newspaper's headquarters are located in Lima, Ohio.-External links:* *...
this:
- Kenneth L. Shigley, president of the State Bar of Georgia and local counsel in Atlanta for ten of the team members, said,
Lawsuits
Several lawsuits were filed by the families of deceased players and by those injured in the accident. The case is presently pending in the State Court of Fulton County.. Judge Susan Forsling entered case management orders that included a provision for mediation of all claims in Ohio.Settlement
Wrongful death and personal injury claims arising from this crash were settled in phases for a total of $25 million, which was allocated among all claimants by agreement through a joint prosecution group.First, the insurer for Executive Coach paid its policy limits of $5 million required under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Second, the State of Georgia paid $3 million to the crash victim due to claims of negligent design of the ramp, intersection and signage. The Georgia State Tort Claims Act limits the liability of state governmental entities to a maximu mof $1 million per person and $3 million per occurrence, no matter how many were hurt.
Third, after the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that the university's liability insurance policies were applicable to the bus driver because the coach retained control over the driver, that added a total of $21 million coverage to the pool. At that point, the insurance companies holding the first two layers of the university's insurance coverage tendered their respective policy limits, of $1 million and $5 million, in the spring of 2011.
Finally, on July 29, 2011, in a mediation in Columbus, Ohio, the last insurer for Bluffton University, with limits of $15 million, agreed to pay an additional $11 million, to be allocated among claimants according to their agreement. The mediator was Art Glaser from Atlanta. Over two dozen lawyers from Atlanta and Ohio were involved.
9-1-1 call to Atlanta emergency services
At 5:41 AM, a 9-1-19-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
call came in from Brandon Freytag on the charter bus, pleading for help.
- Operator: Atlanta 911 Emergency.
- Caller: Yes. We've just been in a bus accident. A bunch of students. I don't know where we're at.
- Operator: I need a location.
- Caller: Where we at, sir?
- Voice in background: You're on 75 South.
- Caller: 75 South.
- Voice in background: I got somebody coming.
- Caller: We've got somebody coming, okay?