Driver in Florida bus crash now in police custody

Authorities are now holding the driver of the passenger bus that plunged into a ravine in Bontoc town in Mt. Province last Friday, killing 15 poeple, a television report said.

Citing information from the local police, a report on GMA News TV's "Balita Pilipinas" said Edgar Reynon, the driver of the ill-fated G.V. Florida bus, surrendered to authorities after he was discharged from the hospital.

In an interview on the same report, Reynon said the bus did not stop when he tried to apply the brakes as he was about to drop passengers off. Out of control, the bus then bumped near the edge of a ravine causing one of its tires to burst before the vehicle eventually plunged into the cliff.

Also, Reynon said he did not hear passengers prompting him to ram the bus to the side of mountain and denied claims he had fallen asleep, the report said.

Earlier, criminal charges were filed against him and the G.V. Florida Transport, operator of the ill-fated bus, for the tragedy that killed 15 people, including comedian-activist Arvin “Tado” Jimenez.

Authorities have filed several counts of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries against the bus operator and the driver, it added.

Reynon will be arraigned on February 21, the television report said.

A day after the crash, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board imposed a 30-day preventive suspension on all the bus units of the GV Florida Transport's fleet. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News