School Ignored Warnings About Cheap Transportation Company Before Student Killed In Crash, Lawsuit Alleges

An Illinois school district allegedly ignored warnings about a lower-priced transportation company's dangerous driving practices and continued paying the company hundreds of thousands of dollars before a fiery crash killed one

student and severely burned another, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.

Belleville Township High School District 201 paid MVP Transportation more than $376,000 after receiving complaints that one of its drivers allegedly fell asleep behind the wheel and nearly struck other vehicles, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges district officials favored the company's low rates despite failing to conduct basic safety reviews, verify driver qualifications or execute a written contract. (RELATED: Texas School District Tried To Hide Sexual Assault Accusations Against Bus Driver)

The district paid MVP a total of $385,655.80 between February 2022 and September, according to the complaint. Of that amount, $376,855.80 — more than 97% — was paid through checks dated after Sept. 13, 2022, when a district official received a report alleging that an MVP driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel, swerved into traffic and nearly struck other vehicles.

The lawsuit alleges the district never solicited competitive bids, conducted a formal safety evaluation or executed a written contract with MVP, a non-emergency medical transportation company.

An Aug. 16, 2022, email from district employee Rhonda Woodfin to director of Alternative Education Andrea Gannon carried the subject line, "I am getting a lot of complaints about MVP," according to an email included as an exhibit in the complaint.

Less than a month later, Gannon received another message describing an MVP driver allegedly falling asleep while driving, braking suddenly and nearly striking other vehicles. The report also described what the sender believed were beer cans in the driver's cup holders.

Gannon responded to the September message, "Thank you," according to the email included in the court filing.

Despite those complaints, the district continued using MVP to transport students, with its board of education repeatedly approving bill lists containing payments to the company through unanimous votes, according to the lawsuit.

Internal emails cited in the complaint also show district officials discussing the company's low transportation rates when arranging services in February 2022.

When Gannon informed other district employees that MVP charged $40 per student per day, officials described the rate as "so cheap" and "very cheap," according to the complaint.

In a separate exchange, Gannon compared MVP's pricing with other transportation providers, noting that the district paid at least $44 for certain morning and afternoon services and as much as $150 for other transportation arrangements.

In a Sept. 24 statement, the district expressed condolences following the deadly crash. A separate statement issued later that day, quoted in the complaint, acknowledged that the district had no written agreement with MVP despite using the company for student transportation since February 2022.

The complaint also alleges that MVP billed the district for 7,448 student trips covering more than 6,000 miles between February 2022 and September.

"Keeping children safe is a school's most basic responsibility. This tragedy was entirely avoidable," attorneys representing the Hodges family said in a Wednesday statement.

MVP didn't respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment.

"The District was made aware of the lawsuit today. As a matter of practice, the District does not comment on pending or potential litigation," a District 201 spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The allegations followed a Sept. 23 crash in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, when an MVP van transporting seven Belleville West High School students struck another vehicle, left the roadway, collided with a traffic signal pole and caught fire.

G'Mauri Hodges, a 15-year-old varsity football player, suffered severe burns covering more than 70% of his body, according to the complaint. Another student, Zer'Real Hinds, died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The lawsuit alleges the van's driver lacked the required school bus permit. It also alleges, based on information and belief, that the driver was the same individual who had previously pleaded guilty to federal drug-trafficking offenses. The complaint does not establish that identity match through an independent finding.

The Illinois Secretary of State's Office determined that MVP was not registered as a school bus employer and that the driver operated without a valid school bus permit, according to an Oct. 1 letter quoted in the complaint.

The complaint further alleges that the van lacked required safety equipment, including a fire extinguisher and first aid kit, and carried only $500,000 in liability insurance despite a $2 million minimum the plaintiffs say was required under state law.

A former MVP driver also told the plaintiffs' attorneys that the company provided no training beyond showing drivers their routes and previously operated vehicles with expired registrations or without insurance, according to the lawsuit.

"Keeping children safe is a school's most basic responsibility. This tragedy was entirely avoidable," attorneys representing the Hodges family said in a Wednesday statement.

"The District was made aware of the lawsuit today. As a matter of practice, the District does not comment on pending or potential litigation," a District 201 spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The lawsuit seeks to hold the district's Board of Education responsible for alleged negligence, failures in contractor oversight and violations of the students' constitutional rights.