Marshall County Deputy Prosecutor Matt Sarber and Prosecutor Nelson Chipman answer questions during Thursday’s press conference
Whether or not there will be criminal charges stemming from last month’s fatal crash involving an Eastern Pulaski school bus will depend on input from a Marshall County grand jury. Owen Abbott, 13, was killed, when the school bus he was riding on was reportedly struck from behind, by a truck driven by Tylor Perry.
During a press conference Thursday, Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman said the crash will be reviewed by a grand jury scheduled to convene on February 4. “It’s fair to say that the driving behaviors are going to be under study,” Chipman explained, and what better way than have a panel of citizens, Marshall County citizens, to have this evidence and decide what’s appropriate driving behavior?”
Chipman said his decision to discuss his plans publicly was driven by the “understandably intense public interest,” specifically, the fact that the crash report was obtained by media outlets on Wednesday. Among other things, it revealed that Perry told police he was trying to take off a sweatshirt and fleece jacket he was wearing, causing him to briefly take his eyes off the road.
“Part of the reason for this press conference is to explain where we are and how we are going to handle the way a decision is going to be made or at least input from the community on how a decision will be made,” Chipman said, “and hopefully keep the speculation down, generated by, let’s say, that crash report.”
Deputy Prosecutor Matt Sarber will take the lead in the presentation of evidence to the grand jury. “The grand jury, by and large, is an investigative body,” Sarber explained. “Yes, they make a recommendation, they come up with a decision. But they can ask questions just like we can ask questions in these proceedings. So that gives the community their impact, their voice, to allow them to be heard, of things that Mr. Chipman or our office has not thought of. And so if there’s other things that they want to know or ask, they are allowed to do so.”
Chipman added that Perry has the right to testify before the grand jury but doesn’t have to. The prosecutor doesn’t anticipate that any students will testify, though. He said the Prosecutor’s Office should know how it’s going to proceed, once the grand jury makes a recommendation early next month.
Chipman stressed that the decision to impanel a grand jury was made before the crash even happened, and the incident was added into its scope later. He declined to discuss the other matters the grand jury will be considering. The grand jury hasn’t been brought together yet, according to Chipman. He said six qualified individuals and one alternate will be selected through Marshall Superior Court I.
