Sentencing of driver in 2015 deadly bus crash upheld
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After an appeal, the court has upheld sentencing of the driver in a 2015 deadly bus crash.
Charles Goodman, of Chicago, was sentenced to six years in the Indiana Department of Correction, with three years suspended, after being convicted on Felony 4 charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death.
Goodman was driving his church group from northwest Indiana to Dayton, Ohio, to attend a church convention on July 28, 2015, when he veered off of Interstate 70 in Hancock County, hitting a tree, flipping the bus, killing a 6-year-old child and injuring at least 10 other people.
Goodman’s blood tested positive for cocaine following the accident, and he was also found to have been driving with a suspended license.
Goodman’s appeal asked the court to review two issues — the use of a photo of the child’s body as evidence and the length of his sentence in light of his offenses and character. The court of appeals determined sufficient evidence was provided outside the use of the photo, making its use harmless. The court found the length of Goodman’s sentence to be reasonable for a Level 4 felony, noting that Goodman failed to take responsibility for his crimes and had accepted the driving task with a suspended license.