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Family of Hyde Park boy killed by BPS bus says company, driver were negligent, according to new lawsuit

Family of Hyde Park boy killed by BPS bus says company, driver were negligent, according to new lawsuit

Boston Globe21-07-2025
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No one has been criminally charged in the crash, which remains under investigation by the Suffolk District Attorney's office and Boston police.
Charles resigned in May, shortly before a scheduled termination hearing, city and district leaders have said. The Globe has been unable to reach him, and city and state officials have declined to release any identifying information about the driver except for his name.
About a month after the crash, Mayor Michelle Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper announced an independent probe into the company's
safety policies and performance.
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Transdev, an $11 billion French company with US headquarters in Illinois, has served as BPS's bus contractor since 2013. BPS contracts with the company to maintain the district's bus fleet, its three bus yards, and hire and manage school bus drivers, the district has said.
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Transdev didn't immediately respond to a request for comment in response to the lawsuit.
'We are committed to ensuring that Lens Joseph's life will not be defined by his death. We are steadfast in seeking justice for Lens and his family members, and we will not waver in that pursuit,' said the family's attorneys, Matthew Fogelman and Alan Klevan, in a statement.
The Joseph family
The Joseph family lawsuit seeks a jury trial, and asks for 'damages in an amount sufficient to compensate them' for their injuries, pain and suffering, and expenses, the complaint said.
The Josephs' complaint includes details that have been previously released by city and school officials regarding Lens's death.
Charles, who had been driving for about two years as a BPS bus
driver for Transdev, had been in a series of crashes prior to Lens's death. Charles had been removed from the road by Transdev for training less than two weeks before the fatal Hyde Park crash, according to details previously released by
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On the day of the crash, Charles was serving as a substitute school bus driver, and had never taken the route that included Lens and his cousin, the city and school leaders have said. A few minutes before the crash in Hyde Park, Charles struck a vehicle in Mattapan before leaving the scene, the Globe has reported.
Charles did not follow protocol and report to a school bus yard safety office
the collision, which happened while Lens, his cousin, and other children were aboard the bus, officials have said.
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The Joseph family's complaint alleges Transdev was negligent in the hiring, training, and supervision of its drivers. It was also 'negligently implementing' policies and procedures for the safe transportation of children on buses, the complaint said.
Transdev also failed to use safety equipment on the buses, which are owned by BPS, according to the complaint. That includes stop-arm cameras, extended stop arms, crossing arms, surround cameras, pedestrian detection sensors, and automatic braking systems, the complaint said.
Charles, the bus driver, acted 'negligently and/or recklessly' within the scope of his employment, according to the complaint.
Neither the city of Boston or Boston Public Schools are named as defendants in the complaint.
Lens's cousin also has been deeply impacted by the crash. She feared for her own safety while watching the bus run over Lens, and she has suffered severe emotional distress as a result, including anxiety, depression, sadness, fear, and sleep disturbances, the complaint said.
Lens's aunt and grandmother witnessed the moments immediately after the collision and also were traumatized by it, the lawsuit said.
Since the crash, Transdev audited its drivers to ensure they had appropriate and valid credentials, Wu and Skipper have said.
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BPS has also strengthened its safety protocols since the Hyde Park crash, including regular meetings with Transdev safety leadership to review all crashes and safety incidents, and the company's responses.
There are about 400 'incidents' per year involving a BPS school bus, the city and school officials have said, generally one or two crashes per day across the fleet. Most involve minimal damage, they have said.
They also said Transdev was accelerating regular refresher training of all drivers on pickup, drop-off, and crash protocols.
Concerns about Boston Public Schools bus safety remain. The City Council's Education Committee,
John Hilliard can be reached at
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£600,000 drug trafficker 'Own Raptor' unmasked by takeaways, LFC tickets and Audi
£600,000 drug trafficker 'Own Raptor' unmasked by takeaways, LFC tickets and Audi

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Yahoo

£600,000 drug trafficker 'Own Raptor' unmasked by takeaways, LFC tickets and Audi

The user of the EncroChat handle "Own Raptor" was unmasked by his takeaway orders and purchase of Liverpool FC tickets. Thomas Hooton utilised the encrypted messaging service in order to traffic heroin, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis worth more than £600,000 across the country. A network of couriers and his "enthusiastic involvement in the supply of drugs" on an "almost daily basis" allowed him to become "well established and trusted by those involved in top level" criminality. But, following his downfall, scores of "prominent individuals", including West Derby MP Ian Byrne and a knight of the realm, have penned a series of character references to the court, showing "another side to the defendant" and his "genuine remorse". Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Friday, that Hooton, of Victoria Road West in Crosby, was linked to the EncroChat handle "OwnRaptor" by other users saving his details under the names "Tom", "Tom H" and "Hoot". The 30-year-old also referenced driving a black Audi A3 in his messages, a vehicle which he had been insured to drive at the relevant time. READ MORE: He complained his suitcase had gone missing at Manchester Airport - then he was arrested READ MORE: 'The Iceman' sent message by Paul Massey's family 10 years on from murder Henry Riding, prosecuting, meanwhile described how a phone number which had been given out by the account holder had been used to order takeaways which were delivered to his address, as well as to purchase tickets to LFC matches. The Encro phone was further shown to have "most frequently" connected to cell masts covering his home. In total, Hooton had 41 other handles saved on his device. He was shown to have been in contact with 20 of these during the period in 2020 in which French police were able to gain access to the network. These communications evidenced his involvement in the supply of 3.25kg of heroin, 10kg of cocaine, 2.5kg of ketamine, 42.5kg of cannabis and 13.5kg of cannabis resin, drugs worth an estimated £667,000. He was also shown to have been linked to the movement of £490,000 in criminal cash. Hooton, who was belatedly arrested in April this year, has no previous convictions. Charles Lander, defending, told the court that his client came from a "close knit and loving family" but had "lost his way and began mixing with the wrong crowd". He added: "There are prominent individuals who have taken time from their busy lives to write on behalf of the defendant and his family. None seek to downplay the seriousness of the defendant's actions, but I hope they show the court that there is another side to the defendant. "All of those references speak of the defendant's genuine remorse. The defendant has already impressed staff while beginning his custodial sentence. He has already been promoted to peer mentor status and has already been given a trusted job, working in healthcare. "The defendant's family are devastated by his actions. Family friends who have known the family for many years have written to the court, and none can comprehend why he has behaved as he did. "There were others who operated above the defendant in the hierarchy. All of those people who have written references speak of the shame that he has brought on the family. Your honour will see words such as devastation. "His parents, grandparents and partner are all adjusting to the fact that he will not be around for a number of years. I ask the court to reflect on the positive features that your honour knows about him. This is a defendant who has begun the first steps of rehabilitation. He is determined to lead a law abiding lifestyle and not trouble the courts again." Hooton admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and cannabis resin. Appearing via video link to HMP Berwyn wearing a sky blue polo shirt, he was jailed for 10 years and eight months. Judge Denis Watson KC said that Ian Byrne MP and Sir Paul Grant had been among those who had written references on Hooton's behalf, adding in his sentencing remarks: "Yours is another case which arises out of investigations by the police and the National Crime Agency into the activities of users of encrypted phones. This case concerns the supply of large quantities of class A and B drugs. "The class A drugs alone are worth over £400,000 at wholesale prices. They would be worth considerably more when valued at street level deals. When one adds the class B drugs, the total value comes to over £660,000. "Remorse and personal circumstances can play a significant part in the determination of sentences at the lower end, but, for crimes of the seriousness involved here, the part that they can play is much more limited. 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"You played a leading role in this enterprise by arranging the supply of significant quantities of class A drugs and class B drugs. You have also been involved in acquiring large amounts of money from the supply of drugs, which was happening on an almost daily basis and appeared to span the UK. "You were working with high level criminal associates and used, effectively, a county lines supply network to supply others in Scotland, the north east and the south of England. I note that there was discussion about buying a van which had a concealed compartment, or hide, capable of taking multi kilograms of drugs in transport without it being particularly obvious. "Of course, this involved couriers having to do the leg work, the high risk work, as they ran drugs up and down the country. The supply of drugs on credit and the ability to purchase kilo amounts all indicates someone who was well established and trusted by those involved in this top level supply of controlled drugs. "You come from a very supportive family. You have done well at school, and your involvement in this sort of offending has destroyed your family and devastated them in so many ways. "References from those who know you speak of the different side of you. While you may have involved yourself enthusiastically in the supply of drugs in 2020, you have, since your arrest, showed as much determination as you can to leave this behind you and look ahead through a different lens." Hooton will be brought back before the same court later this year, when he could be ordered to repay his ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The National Crime Agency's Detective Chief Inspector Lynsay Armbruster said following the hearing: "It's clear Hooton was involved in organised crime for a long time before he was charged. "His criminal and geographical reach will have taken considerable time to establish. His drug supply operations were on an almost daily basis. They were sustained and spanned the UK working with high level criminals.'

French authorities investigate if Jewish passengers were removed from flight due to religion
French authorities investigate if Jewish passengers were removed from flight due to religion

San Francisco Chronicle​

time3 days ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

French authorities investigate if Jewish passengers were removed from flight due to religion

PARIS (AP) — French authorities are trying to establish whether a group of young French citizens were removed from a plane bound for Paris from Spain this week because they are Jewish. The airline, Vueling, has denied the claims. Several dozen French passengers on Wednesday were kicked off a flight leaving the Spanish city of Valencia for Paris, for what Spanish police and the airline described as unruly behavior. France's ministry for Europe and foreign affairs said in a statement on Saturday that the minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, contacted the CEO of Vueling, Carolina Martinoli, to express his deep concern 'about the removal of a group of young French Jews from one of the company's flights.' Barrot also requested more information to 'determine whether these individuals had been discriminated against on the basis of their religion.' A similar request has been made to the Spanish ambassador to France. 'Ms. Martinoli assured Mr. Barrot that a thorough internal investigation was underway and that its findings would be shared with the French and Spanish authorities,' the ministry said. Vueling previously denied reports that the incident, which involved the removal of 44 minors and eight adults from flight V8166, was related to the passengers' religion. Some Israeli news outlets reported that the students were Jewish and that their removal was religiously motivated, a claim that was repeated by an Israeli minister online. Spain's Civil Guard said the minors and adults were French nationals. A Civil Guard spokesperson said the agents involved were not aware of the group's religious affiliation. A Vueling spokesperson said the passengers were removed after the minors repeatedly tampered with the plane's emergency equipment and interrupted the crew's safety demonstration. A Civil Guard spokesperson said the captain of the plane ordered the removal of the minors from the plane at Valencia's Manises Airport after they repeatedly ignored the crew's instructions. On Thursday, the Federation for Jewish Communities of Spain expressed concern about the incident. The group said that Vueling needed to provide documentary evidence of what happened on the plane.

French authorities investigate if Jewish passengers were removed from flight due to religion

time3 days ago

French authorities investigate if Jewish passengers were removed from flight due to religion

PARIS -- French authorities are trying to establish whether a group of young French citizens were removed from a plane bound for Paris from Spain this week because they are Jewish. The airline, Vueling, has denied the claims. Several dozen French passengers on Wednesday were kicked off a flight leaving the Spanish city of Valencia for Paris, for what Spanish police and the airline described as unruly behavior. France's ministry for Europe and foreign affairs said in a statement on Saturday that the minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, contacted the CEO of Vueling, Carolina Martinoli, to express his deep concern 'about the removal of a group of young French Jews from one of the company's flights.' Barrot also requested more information to 'determine whether these individuals had been discriminated against on the basis of their religion.' A similar request has been made to the Spanish ambassador to France. 'Ms. Martinoli assured Mr. Barrot that a thorough internal investigation was underway and that its findings would be shared with the French and Spanish authorities,' the ministry said. Vueling previously denied reports that the incident, which involved the removal of 44 minors and eight adults from flight V8166, was related to the passengers' religion. Some Israeli news outlets reported that the students were Jewish and that their removal was religiously motivated, a claim that was repeated by an Israeli minister online. Spain's Civil Guard said the minors and adults were French nationals. A Civil Guard spokesperson said the agents involved were not aware of the group's religious affiliation. A Vueling spokesperson said the passengers were removed after the minors repeatedly tampered with the plane's emergency equipment and interrupted the crew's safety demonstration. A Civil Guard spokesperson said the captain of the plane ordered the removal of the minors from the plane at Valencia's Manises Airport after they repeatedly ignored the crew's instructions. On Thursday, the Federation for Jewish Communities of Spain expressed concern about the incident. The group said that Vueling needed to provide documentary evidence of what happened on the plane.

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