Defense: There's more to the story of man charged in bus crash that killed 8 farmworkers (2024)

Austin L. MillerOcala Star-Banner

The attorney representing the man charged in the bus crash that killed eight farmworkers told the Star Banner that there's "a lot more factual considerations leading up to the accident that haven't been discussed."

Jack Maro, a longtime defense attorney, did not elaborate. He said he's investigating.

Prosecutors on May 30 officially filed these criminal charges against Bryan Maclean Howard: eight counts of DUI manslaughter and 11 counts of DUI with serious bodily injuries.

Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon is representing the state. In a brief statement, prosecutors said they're going to work diligently for all the victims and their families. Circuit Judge Peter Brigham is overseeing the case.

If convicted as charged, Howard could face 175 years in prison, prosecutors said. He's being held without bail at the county jail.

His next court date is set for 9 a.m. June 18. Usually, with arraignments, defendants who have private attorneys don't show up for court as their lawyers have waived their appearance.

Howard, 41, of Dunnellon, was taken into custody by Florida Highway Patrol troopers after the May 14 crash in west Marion. Howard is accused of being impaired while driving a pickup truck along State Road 40 and sideswiping the bus.

Law enforcement officials said Howard told them he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription pills the night before the wreck. Howard told troopers he was on his way to a methadone clinic in Ocala for treatment and doesn't remember anything about the crash.

Here's a look at some other local court cases that were addressed recently:

State v. Brandon Lee Brown

Judge: Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon.

Lawyer: John A. Kruse

Charge: Failure to appear for jury selection. Assistant State Attorney Tucker O'Neil announced in an arraignment hearing held June 4 that his office has filed the charge.

Does Brown face any other charges? Yes. He's charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, attempted robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

What happened? In March, Brown, who had been released on bond, was scheduled for jury selection in the murder case. He failed to show up and the judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

Brown was arrested in May and is presently at the county jail with no bail. His next court date will be in August.

About the case: Brown, of Summerfield, is accused of shooting Anthony Brady and Zondrey Sesler at a residence in 2018. Brady died at a local hospital.

The 38-year-old man was arrested and remained in jail until June 2023, when he was granted bail. His trial was scheduled for March 24, but Brown skipped the proceedings. He was apprehended by a bail bondsman in Wildwood and returned to the jail.

State v. Timothy Michael Read

Judge: Circuit Judge Tim McCourt.

Charge: Use computer to seduce/solicit/lure child. Prosecutors dropped a charge of unlawful use of two-way communications device to facilitate, according to court records.

Plea: A no contest plea was entered on June 4.

Sentence: 30 months in prison followed by 30 months of probation. He has two days of credit for time already served.

Where's Read now? At the Marion County Jail. He will remain there until he's transferred to a prison facility.

Any special conditions? As a registered sex offender Read cannot have any unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 16, must undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation, and must complete all recommended treatments within 90 days.

What happened? Read and multiple other men were arrested during a sting operation designed to catch adults trying to pick up minors online for sex.

State v. Joshua Logan Sones

Judge: County Judge Tommy Thompson.

Charges: DUI with property damage and DUI with personal injury. Prosecutors dropped the latter charge.

Lawyers: Assistant State Attorneys Robbie Bullara and Sam Militello. Sones was represented by local defense lawyer Jimmie Sparrow.

Why was Sones in court? The former Marion County Sheriff's Office jail sergeant was arrested after officials said he was involved in a crash along State Road 200 in September 2023. Sones was taken to the hospital, but left before he was questioned by authorities.

When was the trial and how long did it last? June 6, and it lasted one day.

How many people were on the jury? Six: four women and two men.

What was the verdict? Jurors deliberated for less than 30 minutes and returned with a guilty verdict for the 47-year-old man.

What was the recommendation? Prosecutors asked for a year of probation, followed by a series of restrictions such as random drug tests at Sones' expense and 80 hours of community service. Sparrow told the judge his client has no criminal history and was a public servant for many years who has lost his job and career. Sones resigned from the sheriff's office last year.

Court: Ocala courts: Charges filed in several major felony cases

What was the judge's decision? The judge ordered Sones to spend 30 days in the county jail and 11 months on probation. He has a day of credit for time already served.

The judge said that while on probation, Sones cannot consume or posses any alcohol or drugs. The judge revoked his driver's license for a year and ordered him to pay the victim $667 in restitution.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

Defense: There's more to the story of man charged in bus crash that killed 8 farmworkers (2024)

FAQs

Defense: There's more to the story of man charged in bus crash that killed 8 farmworkers? ›

Defense: There's more to the story of man charged in bus crash that killed 8 farmworkers. The attorney representing the man charged in the bus crash that killed eight farmworkers told the Star Banner that there's "a lot more factual considerations leading up to the accident that haven't been discussed."

What happened to Humboldt bus? ›

The bus sustained massive damage, particularly at the front. The driver and 13 passengers were killed immediately. Two others died of their injuries in hospital. One of the survivors described how the bus broadsided the semi-trailer truck, which was consistent with the photographic account of the incident.

Where was the bus crash in Florida? ›

Authorities in Florida have released bodycam video from first responders arriving at the scene of a rollover crash involving a bus carrying farm workers in Florida left eight people dead and over 40 others injured Tuesday morning. The crash happened around 6:30 a.m. on West Highway 40 near Ocala in Marion County.

What happened to the truck driver that hit the Humboldt Broncos? ›

Share Close. A federal judge has dismissed applications from the truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan and was fighting deportation back to India. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu was sentenced to eight years for causing a crash that killed 16 people and injured 13 others.

Who was at fault in the Humboldt accident? ›

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu's “genuine, heart-wrenching remorse” for causing the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 16 people wasn't enough to convince the Federal Court that he deserved a reprieve from deportation to India. In a ruling released Thursday, Chief Justice Paul S.

How did the bus crash happen? ›

The crash happened on June 11 last year when the coach, carrying 35 passengers from a nearby wedding, overturned on a roundabout near the township of Greta. Button, 59, allegedly lost control of the bus and it rolled, skidding along a guard rail.

What was Humboldt driver sentenced to? ›

Sidhu pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was granted full parole last year. A criminal conviction that carries a sentence of more than six months makes a permanent resident ineligible to remain in the country.

When did the Humboldt Broncos bus crash? ›

You likely remember where you were when you heard about the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. It was an event that froze Canadians. On April 6, 2018, a semi-truck sped through a stop sign in rural Saskatchewan and hit the bus carrying the junior hockey team.

Where is Jaskirat Singh Sidhu from? ›

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu is from India and has permanent resident status in Canada. Ottawa: An Indian-origin truck driver who caused a horrific bus crash in Canada that killed 16 members and injured 13 others of a junior hockey team in 2018 was on Friday ordered to be deported to India.

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