A court appearance is set for Friday, January 29, for the driver involved in the deadly tour bus crash on Highway 38 that left eight people dead and several others injured on Super Bowl Sunday 2013. (Photo by Wikimedia Commons)
By G. T. Houts
San Bernardino, CA – Norberto Bravo Perez, 55, who is charged with eight counts of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence related to the deadly tour bus crash on Highway 38 on February 3, 2013, returns to court January 29 for a pre-trial hearing.
On November 19, Perez, with the assistance of an interpreter, entered a not guilty plea to all charges.
On January 7, Perez appeared before Judge J. David Mazurek who not only set the pre-trial hearing at 8:40 a.m. in Department S-15 but placed a trial readiness hearing on the court calendar for February 5 at 8:21 a.m. in the same courtroom.
If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum exposure of approximately 15 years in state prison.
THE CHARGES
The charges stem from the incident that took place along Highway 38, between Mentone and Forest Falls on February 3, 2013, with Perez driving a tour bus.
The 1996 VanPool bus, which originated from Tijuana, was heading back to Mexico from Big Bear.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Perez — who was arrested at 7:47 a.m. on November 18 by the California Highway Patrol at the San Ysidro Point of Entry — remains in custody at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. Bail is set at $1 million.
(12)