St. Ignatius hockey players sue truck driver who struck their bus in Indiana

Sixteen St. Ignatius junior varsity hockey players have filed a lawsuit against the truck driver who plowed into their team bus in Indiana earlier this month, knocking the bus on its side and seriously injuring three players.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Kosciusko County, Indiana, names the driver Victor Santos and the trucking companies as defendants.

Santos, 58, of Brooklyn, New York, was charged with felony counts of causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon.

Police have said Santos was seen swerving across a highway and traveling more than 90 mph before he crashed into the school bus on Nov. 12.

Santos briefly tapped the brakes as he approached an intersection on U.S. Route 30 in the town of Warsaw, then barreled through a red light and knocked the school bus on its side, officials said.

At least 16 members of the school’s junior varsity hockey team were injured, three of them critically.

Santos’ blood alcohol level was .13%, almost twice the legal limit in Indiana, police reported.

The lawsuit alleges counts of negligence and seeks punitive damages because police alleged Santos was driving under the influence of alcohol. The lawsuit also names the companies N&V Trucking Express, B&W Cartage Inc. and B&W International as defendants.

Representatives for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The students, their parents and lawyers were expected to speak at a news conference later Tuesday morning.

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