Woman, 23, likely to be charged in Cottonwood bus crash today

Star Tribune ^ | February 22, 2008 | CHAO XIONG, CURT BROWN and ABBY SIMONS

[Sopater]

MARSHALL, MINN. - The 23-year-old woman whose van collided with a school bus was arrested Thursday afternoon and booked on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation in connection with the crash that killed four children near Cottonwood, Minn.

Alianiss Morales, of Minneota, Minn., is expected to be charged and make her first court appearance this morning, said Lyon County Attorney Rick Maes.

The Minnesota State Patrol's investigation of the crash continued Thursday, and Maes said much of the paperwork from the investigation was already on his desk.

"One [part of the investigation] is whether she was operating the vehicle in a grossly negligent manner," Maes said.

"So we need to look at what exactly witnesses identified at that particular intersection."

Maes would not elaborate on Morales' actions that led to the arrest, and declined to say whether she was speeding. Other charges are possible, but it is unlikely that other drivers involved will be charged, Maes said.

The driver of the pickup truck involved in the crash said that the van driven by Morales hit the side of the school bus at the intersection of Minnesota Hwy. 23 and County Road 24 near Cottonwood on Tuesday afternoon.

The bus skidded on its side into the pickup truck driven by James Hancock, 47, of Marshall, who is hospitalized with a broken leg, a broken hand and other injuries.

The children who died were Jesse Javens, 13, and Hunter Javens, 9, both of Cottonwood; Reed Stevens, 12, of Marshall; and Emilee Olson, 9, of Cottonwood. They were among 28 students on the bus. In addition to Hancock, eight children remained hospitalized in Sioux Falls, S.D., Marshall and Rochester.

Reactions to Morales' arrest were mixed at a prayer service Thursday.

[Sopater]

More from the story:

Federal officials assisting

Morales worked at the Jenny-O turkey plant in Willmar for three months ending in January, according to Julie Kraven, a spokeswoman at Hormel Foods in Austin, which owns Jenny-O.

Federal immigration officials are assisting the State Patrol's investigation of the crash and are looking into Morales' background, according to Tim Counts, local spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Morales' arrest will help authorities determine her status with fingerprints and other information. "Now that she's actually in someone's custody, that will facilitate our procedures," Counts said.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

From Minneota, eh ?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Check out this video report from last night.....note the part about the toxicology reports......

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=5846242&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Another criminal illegal alien, what it sounds like....

The anti-American bigotry continues.....

[metmom]

Another thread just posted states that she is illegal.

Illegal alien van driver arrested in Minnesota schoolbus tragedy

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974466/posts

[wideawake]

Any word on what Morales’ blood test revealed?

[metmom]

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL

This ping list is for the “other” articles of interest to homeschoolers about education and public school. If you want on/off this list, please freepmail me. The main Homeschool Ping List by DaveLoneRanger handles the homeschool-specific articles. This can occasionally be a fairly high volume list.

Update.

[cripplecreek]

5 kids killed by illegal aliens in two midwest states in a matter of 3 days.

[sheana]

Gov. Tim Pawlenty and U.S. Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar all attended the event and spoke briefly

Good thing I am not one of those poor dead children’s mother. I would have spit on the politicians and made them leave. They are partly responsible for their deaths.

[randog]

Any word on what Morales’ blood test revealed?

The toxicology reports on the bus driver and p.u. driver are negative and authorities aren't revealing the perp's report.

[wintertime]

Woman Illegal immigrant , , 23, likely to be charged in Cottonwood bus crash today

There fixed that!

[metmom]

There’s a link on the other thread but I can’t get it to work. It quits on me after the first sentence.

[jaydubya2]

"ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL"

I don't see the connection...

Respectfully

[wintertime]

Any news on how many deaths and injuries would have been prevented if the children were in seat belts?

[Sopater]

From Minneota, eh ?

If she's here illegally, she's not from Minneota, she's from somewhere else, and she's tresspassing in Minneota.

[FrdmLvr]

She probably had a state issued drivers license, too.

[Sopater]

Actually, she had NO driver’s license, and had been arrested back in 2006 for driving without a license. Go figure.

[indcons]

From the article: "According to state records, Morales has a Minnesota identification card but does not have a valid driver's license...."

Thank you, Harry Reid, Kennedy, and Jorge Bush.

[cripplecreek]

I don't see the connection...

They weren't on a school bus but I agree it isn't really a homeschool issue. After all, 14 year old Daniel Turner was walking near Three rivers Michigan when he was run down and dragged by an illegal alien near Three Rivers Michigan last Sunday.

[metmom]

Same thing I posted on another thread....

“Read more carefully. It’s an update for those following the situation. I put it in the ping.”