School bus driver who caused Kronkup crash in February pleads guilty to two charges, granted spent conviction

A driver who crashed a bus full of school children into a car in Kronkup in February, injuring its driver and leaving the passenger with such serious injuries she was placed in a medically induced coma for 10 days, has been granted a spent conviction. Linda Marie Hoskins, 49, appeared in Albany Magistrates Court last Thursday, and pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and one charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. Police prosecutor Sgt Mike Russell said the crash occurred about 3.10pm on February 21, when the school bus collided with a Nissan Almera as it turned left at the intersection of Lower Denmark Road and Cosy Corner Road. At the time, police said the bus was carrying 24 children aged 4-11, six of whom were treated for minor injuries at Albany Health Campus. Sgt Russell told the court the crash caused life-threatening injuries consistent with grievous bodily harm to the 72-year-old female passenger in the car. The woman was trapped in the vehicle for almost an hour and had to be freed by volunteer firefighters, who used the jaws of life to rip the roof off the car. She was taken to Albany Health Campus with a cracked left kneecap, broken ribs and a de-gloved left arm, before being airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital, where she was placed into a medically induced coma for 10 days. Her husband, the 77-year-old driver of the vehicle, sustained four broken ribs and a fractured sternum, injuries Sgt Russell said were consistent with bodily harm. Hoskins’ defence lawyer told the court the crash “involved a momentary inattention” and she had continued working as a bus driver for several months following the accident. The lawyer described the incident as an “aberration” and said Hoskins provided first aid at the scene of the crash. Sgt Russell said the crash was a “textbook example” that “when you take control of a motor vehicle, you take control of the people’s lives around you”. “It is a momentary lapse in concentration...whatever you want to call it...but it has happened,” he said. “There have to be consequences for these actions. “Given the gravity of the situation, prison is a real option.” Magistrate Dianne Scaddan said the incident was an “unfortunate event” caused by a “momentary lapse of paying attention to the roadway”. She said it was to Hoskins’ credit that she had provided first aid at the scene. “You did make sure to do your absolute best to make sure everyone was looked after,” she said. “I note that you have been expressing concern and remorse for what happened.” Ms Scaddan disqualified Hoskins’ licence for three months. She was fined $3000 for the dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm charge, and $1500 for the charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. She was granted a spent conviction.