Police have charged a 42-year-old Eastern Bay of Plenty man with Dangerous Driving Causing Injury to 16 students following a school bus crash at Ruatoki last September.
The man charged was the driver of the logging truck that was involved in the crash.
He will appear in the Whakatane District Court on 23 February 2012.
The charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. Other penalties may include loss of licence.
The charges come after an extensive serious crash investigation and a police review of that investigation.
Kevin Taylor, The Road Policing Manager Bay of Plenty Police, says the accident was among the ‘worst’ attended by emergency staff.
"This was a very serious crash – one of the worst and most upsetting, in terms of the number of young victims that had ever been attended by many of our Police staff and other emergency services.”
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