Woodmore Elementary Starting Regular Schedule Again:New Details About Bus Driver’s Past

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- One week after the tragic school bus crash that took the lives of six Woodmore Elementary School students, class is back in session, and more details have been released about the bus driver’s past.

The Interim-superintendent says getting Woodmore Elementary School students back on a normal routine is vital for their well-being.

But newly released documents showing a number of complaints against the bus driver just days before the deadly crash only leads to more unanswered questions.

“Our hearts continue to be broken, and we’re deeply grieving. Our goal today was to make sure that we created and had a stable, safe and comforting school environment for our students.”

School is back for Woodmore Elementary, and while the students continue to processes the devastation, many are still healing from last week’s tragic accident.

“As it stands right now, we have five students remaining in the hospital. Um three students remain in critical condition, the other two are in fair condition at this time.”

According to Hamilton County School officials, 85 percent of Woodmore students returned to school Monday, allowing only family members and pre-approved counselors to come in and out of the building.

“We had 15 counselors on site, five therapy dogs, hundreds of teddy bears and thousands of hugs. It was a good day for our kids.”

“Now let me also add, and I know that many of you had questions about the bus–uh and the bus driver, we cannot make any further comments about uh the bus driver because that’s an ongoing investigation with the um NTSB and Chattanooga Police Department.”

Newly released documents from the Hamilton County School District, show several student and parent complaints against Johnthany Walker just weeks before the crash.

In fact, according to an email written by Principal Cothran, six students reported that Walker was swerving and purposely trying to cause them to fall the morning of November 16, five days before the crash.

In a hand written letter one student wrote, “The bus driver drives fast. He drives too fast, it feels like the bus is going to flip over.

Another child wrote, “The bus driver was doing sharp turns. We need seat belts.”

During today’s press conference, Interim-Superintendent Kelly did not make a comment on those former complaints, but say they are being investigated by authorities as well.

Walker is now facing several charges including reckless endangerment, and reckless driving.