School bus driver found not guilty in bus crash that injured 18 kids

The incident sent five children aboard the bus to the hospital with serious injuries, one suffering a broken back.

WAHPETON, N.D. —  After a year long battle, a judge has found a Wahpeton school bus driver not guilty in a crash that injured 18 children.

The 70 year old driver, Michael Skroch was found not guilty of reckless driving after a train hit the bus in December of last year.

The incident sent five children aboard the bus to the hospital with serious injuries, one suffering a broken back.

At the time of the incident, Skroch was being accused of aggravated reckless driving.

“He’s not shirked responsibility, he’s admitted that he was the driver of the bus he’s admitted that he should have waited longer that’s not the issue, the issue was was his conduct criminal and clearly the judge reached the right conclusion in concluding it was not,” Vogel Law Firm Attorney, Mark Friese said.

Friese says, for the most part, the families of the children involved in the crash have been understanding throughout the trial, except for the family of the student who suffered a broken back.

Friese says he has not heard about any further action being taken.