School bus driver who struck and killed 7-year-old boy did not have a valid license, police say
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The school bus driver who struck and killed a 7-year-old boy in south suburban Park Forest in January did not have a valid license at the time of the incident, police say.
Seven-year-old Connor Kasmarski was fatally struck by the bus, which was taking students from Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 at 3:13 p.m. on Jan. 20. As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the second grader had left his school and hopped his school bus – ready to enjoy his weekend.
In a letter, the school district superintendent said the boy was a second-grade student at Mohawk Primary Center. He had a quick ride home.
Park Forest Police say the driver of the bus had turned the corner from the last bus stop, and Connor had been running alongside the passenger side of the bus and moved into the street directly in front of the bus when he was struck. Police say the investigation revealed the driver had not been distracted by electronic communication devices and was not aware that the bus had been involved in a crash or struck the child.
According to a release from the Park Forest Police Department, the driver's Commercial Driver's License and associated School Bus Driver endorsement had been canceled on Jan. 8, 2023 because the driver had not provided proof of medical examination documentation to the Secretary of State's Office.
The driver has been charged with operating a commercial vehicle with a canceled commercial driver's license, which is a misdemeanor.
The driver is scheduled to appear in court on March 31 at the 6th District Cook County Courthouse in Markham, Illinois.
