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Troopers: Blown tire caused deadly charter bus crash; no charges filed

By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com
By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Channel 9 learned Wednesday that no criminal charges will be filed in a deadly bus crash on Sept. 17 where four people died.

The Highway Patrol and National Transportation Safety Board Investigation also concluded
that it was the blown tire that caused the crash.

The football team from Ramah Juco Academy in Rock Hill was on its way to Fayetteville to play its first game of the season and as a team.

Past coverage:

Two coaches who were on that bus are still in lots of physical pain, but far more emotional pain.

"We try to get it out of the back of our heads, and not think about it anymore," team defensive coordinator Derrick Crawford said.

But he told Channel 9, he can't.

Crawford suffered cracked ribs, a separated shoulder and a head injury, but the memory of that day hurts worse.

"I felt the bus move and we were swerving, and by the time I looked up, we were going right towards the median," Crawford said who was looking at game film when a front tire blew, sending the bus out of control.

The bus was traveling on Highway 74 in Richmond County carrying 42 players, coaches and young children.

It hit the guard rail then a concrete bridge support which ripped the side of the bus open where head coach Bakari Rawlinson was sitting behind the driver.

He was thrown out the windshield, along with the driver Brian André Kirkpatrick, 43.

Rawlinson who was covered in blood with multiple internal injuries got back on the bus and pulled the children out.

"People told me I was carrying some people off the bus. They were knocked or just in a daze," Rawlinson said. "I'm trying to remember, but I don't really remember all that I did."

He said he only knew it was his team and his responsibility.

The driver was killed along with Clinton College students Tito Hamilton, 19, Devonte Gibson, 21
and a coach's 8-year-old son, Darice Hicks.

They were remembered at a community service Wednesday in the gym at Rock Hill High School.

Rawlinson told Channel 9 he'll retire Hamilton's jersey, No. 75 and Gibson's jersey, No. 4.

"No one on our team will ever wear those numbers again," he said.

Now, the team and the community must heal.

The football team's first season was canceled but both coaches said the program is meant to help kids, and it still will.

It was created to give students a chance to be seen by scouts even when they attend small colleges that don't have their own football programs.

"I know they would want us to keep pushing, moving on, but what we're doing could change a lot of lives for these kids," Crawford said.

Channel 9 told Rawlinson that no criminal charges will be filed and he was glad to hear that.

"That's good,” he said.

“That bus driver did all he could to keep everyone safe.”

Rawlinson said the bus, owned by Sandy River Baptist Church in Chester County, was hired when he started calling around, looking for the lowest rate for transportation.

"I thought it was a legit business," he said.

The carrier was found in violation of four civil codes, according to the investigation.

Although no criminal charges were filed, investigators conducted a post-crash inspection of the bus and determined the following civil penalty violations against Sandy River Baptist Church. The violations are as follows:

  • Failure to have financial responsibility for a "For Hire" passenger carrying vehicle
  • Failure to have a I.F.T.A. Fuel Tax Registration (International Fuel Tax Agreement)
  • Failure to have the carrier name marked properly on both sides of the vehicle
  • Failure to have the proper "apportioned registration plates

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