Case Against Man Charged With Striking & Killing Child Getting On Bus goes Forward

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A Lee County Judge rules that a case will go forward against a Marietta man charged with hitting and causing the death of a child as he got on a school bus.

During the hour long preliminary hearing, Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers said eyewitnesses all reported that a school bus was stopped, with its crossing arm extended, stop sign out and all lights flashing, when 22 year old Hunter Newman’s vehicle struck 9 year old Dalen Thomas the morning of October 31st.

Thomas died later that day from his injuries.

Newman is now charged with Culpable Negligence Manslaughter.

His defense attorney Tony Farese describes the incident as a quote, perfect storm.

“We maintain this is nothing but a tragic accident,” Farese said.

Farese requested the preliminary hearing, asking the court to decide if there was enough evidence for the felony charge his client faces.

While Farese says he wasn’t surprised Judge Holland sent the case to the Grand Jury, he says evidence will show his client was not negligent.

“Mr. Newman was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he was not on his cell phone, the question is did the child dart out in front of him, and was the sign out from the school bus and did Mr. Newman have an adequate amount of time to stop, we maintain from evidence we heard today, the school bus driver, pursuant to policies and procedure are supposed to give a signal. A hand signal for a child crossing a lane of traffic to load on a school bus, this school bus driver did not give that signal,” he said.

An attorney with the DA’s office did not want to go on camera, but did tell us they feel they have a strong case against Mr Newman.

The next Lee County Grand Jury meets in January.