Alpha Kids Center van driver faulted in major accident on Gulf Bank
Yesterday’s foul weather in Houston may have played a part in a multi-vehicle accident that injured 18 people today, including 16 children riding in a Alpha Kids’ Center extended daycare passenger van. The accident happened around 3:30 p.m. on Gulf Bank near Beltway 8. It appears as many as four vehicles were involved in the accident. The children, aged between 4 and 12, were returning from a field trip. The children were transported to hospital as a precaution. Channel 11’s report is here. Channel 2’s report is here. Channel 13’s report is here.
Update: Channel 13 is now reporting that the driver of the Alpha Kids Daycare van is facing felony charges for the accident. The report states the van was heading eastbound of West Gulf Bank when the van driver ran a red light and was t-boned by a pickup truck heading northbound on the service road. In addition to being charged for running the red light, the van driver was also charged with child endangerment, a state jail felony. Investigators say there were too many children traveling in the van, and not enough seat belts or child seats. Thank goodness the accident wasn’t more severe, given that it appears there were unrestrained kids in the van.
Update 2: Channel 11 is reporting that Conception Coronado, the driver of the van, and Darryl Freeman, owner of Alpha Kids’ Daycare, have been charged in connection with the crash. Freeman was charged with allowing the students to be transported without restraints and with too many passengers in the van. Coronado was issued a citation for running the red light and causing the crash. Both Coronado and Freeman have been charged with injury to a child/criminal negligence.
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