Final settlement reached in school bus accident case that killed Upstate pastor

LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A settlement has been reached in a deadly 2019 school bus crash.

The family of Pastor Herman Alexander Black said they have waited five years and one day to the anniversary of his death to reach this settlement with the State Department of Education and Laurens County District 55.

The South Carolina Department of Education and Laurens County District 55 agreed to pay Black’s family $950,000 in addition to the $575,000 insurance payout.

The attorney representing the Blacks, Tom Killoren, said one of the biggest issues in this case was District 55 not having an adequate cell phone policy discouraging their drivers from using their devices while driving.

“The emphasis isn’t there to discourage and prohibit drivers from using cell phones. It needs to change and it’s going to change because of this case,” Killoren said.

In response, District 55 is changing their cell phone policy and said they will train all bus drivers regarding the use of cell phones while driving. They also said they would be adding these guidelines to the bus drivers’ manual.

“We believe these guidelines will contribute positively to the overall safety on our buses and to the community,” said Superintendent Dr. Jody Penland. “We appreciate the input in helping revise these guidelines.”

Killoren explained he has also been frustrated with South Carolina’s limits to the recovery, which is higher in neighboring states.

“Why can’t South Carolina be the same as our neighboring states, like Georgia and North Carolina,” said Killoren. “Why can’t the torque claims limits be $1 million like those neighboring states? Why should his family have to go through four years of litigation to try to prove a legal mechanism to get extra money for them?”

He said it took 19 different depositions for a settlement to be reached for the Black family.

According to court documents, Ulysses Cartez Gary, Jr., the District 55 bus driver, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in December 2023.

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