Minneapolis Public Schools facing lawsuit over deadly school bus accident

A recent court decision allowed Minneapolis Public Schools to be included in a lawsuit regarding a tragic incident where a school bus dragged and killed a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The victim, Josue Gochez Perez, was struck by the bus while walking home from work, leading to his death as he was dragged under the vehicle. His family is pursuing legal action against both MPS and the school bus company, Septran. Previous investigations revealed that the bus driver involved was not certified at the time of the accident and had a history of risky driving behaviors. The lawsuit accuses both MPS and Septran of negligent hiring, supervision, and training practices that contributed to the fatal crash. A judge's ruling in May allowed MPS to be added to the lawsuit against Septran. The family's attorney emphasized that MPS cannot evade responsibility by contracting services, stating that proper vetting of contractors is crucial. Both Septran and MPS declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings. Contract records show that MPS renewed its contract with Septran more than a year after the tragic incident, with discussions ongoing about the district's future partnership with the company for student transportation.