I was also coming home on a bus from King's Island that very day. I think it was our athletic club trip. I was only a freshman in high school, and of course I was saddened, but I don't think I understood the magnitude of what had happened. I've often though about those kids and their parents over the years. It is one of those things that just sticks with you.

 

I also agree that Mahoney could do a lot of good by speaking about his decision and the aftermath.

I had a professor at UofL that was the forensic dentist that had to deal with that crash. He was known as a real hard egg. He showed cases that were absolutely nasty. However, I'll never forget when he was discussing this case, showing some of the slides from the pictures/records he'd taken, he got very emotional. Must have been a horrible sight.

Honestly yes. If by speaking to young men and women about the dangers of drinking and driving, and how it has affected his life, and took the lifes of so many others, and if that could prevent one person from doing so in the future, you never know how many lifes it may save in the future. What difference does it make if kids today can associate with that time period or not. They certainly can associate with the temptation to drink and drive.

 

Naturally--you have great points that speak for their selves.

 

However .. the questions that I always come back to when I see people like this .. is "why should anyone listen to this person after what they did" and "is this person causing the involved families more pain by constantly speaking about the situation"?

 

Naturally ... there is really only one group of people who can speak to their feelings. Some of those are documented already--and I remember seeing both sides from the families ... along the same lines of "this guy can do a lot of good" and "if I ever hear the name Larry Mahoney again .. it will be too soon".

 

As far as today's generation ... I deal with high school kids everyday in a large group setting. Strictly my opinion--but I don't see where nearly any of them can make the jump--simply because kids today have been somewhat desensitised by all of the messages, reminders, conversations, talks, etc that they get on the subject. Combine that with the fact that most parents today are "enablers" ... you get a recipe for complacency.

 

I feel for the families. And there are times when I feel for Larry Mahoney. This situations confirms that, when the stars align, the perfect storm can and will strike. From Mahoney's decisions, to the bus--that wasn't thought to be unsafe until it was too late, to the innocent victims.

It seriously affected the training new bus drivers get too. When I first started driving I watched one film, took one driving test, and one written test and that was it. Now you must pass two or three tests at the court house, take 17 end of chapter tests and a final in the bus driving course, pass a physical, do a complete walk around inspection of the bus, pass an obstacle driving course and a road test. While it certainly was a tragedy it got KY up to speed in its bus driving training.

A couple of things here ... and I want to state clearly .. that I am not a Larry Mahoney apologist ...

 

Mahoney has actually lived in Boone County since about 6 months after he got out of jail.

 

Which brings me to this point ... why mention that he hasn't volunteered his time to speak about the dangers of drinking and driving? Why is it that people automatically assume that this guy is sitting back--and feeling great about his poor decisions?

 

If you do some digging (and it takes a lot) you will find that this guy made the decision to not talk about this to spare the families of having to constantly hear about it. That definitely doesn't make him a saint. But when you look at the way people do things today--it has to be better than constantly going around and talking about it--and bringing attention to ones self. Yes--It keeps a lot of negative attention off of Mahoney--but it also keeps the attention on the people that died needlessly over a very stupid situation.

 

Honestly--would you want this guy to go around and speak about this tragedy? I doubt it. Most kids today can't even begin to associate with this time period.

 

I have never felt sorry for Mahoney. But I think that this guy understands that he will answer for his decisions. No clue why I feel that way--but it has something to do with his silence. It is also pretty weak to assume that this guy, even though he made an incredibly stupid decision to drive drunk, made an informed decision to get in his truck, drive the wrong way--and kill many innocent men, women and children.

Not sure if I have been clear .. so to sum it up ... this guy may be doing the right thing by NOT talking. After everything that these families have been through (which are well documented--and extremely disheartening) ... why do people assume that he doesn't talk because he is a cold, smug individual?

 

I can see all that you say, except for the bolded part. He made an informed decision to drink, and probably had heard of people being killed by drunk drivers prior to that, so by drinking he is responsible for the results of his action, whether he "decided" to commit vehicular manslaughter or not.

It is my understanding that Mr. Mahoney's family ( he had young children at the time) had a very difficult time after this accident. Public sentiment across the state was very strong and unfortunately those kids were as innocent as the children on the bus.

 

I believe that is why he does not publically talk about this, and it is my understanding that he did not take early parole even though he was a candidate. That does not change the outcome of his decision that night, but it is up to him and God to work it out at this point. He served his time and has to live every day with his actions.

Wow...it really has been 20 years.

I can see all that you say, except for the bolded part. He made an informed decision to drink, and probably had heard of people being killed by drunk drivers prior to that, so by drinking he is responsible for the results of his action, whether he "decided" to commit vehicular manslaughter or not.

 

Agreed and understood.

 

What I should have been more clear about is this: I don't think that Mr. Mahoney drank all day, decided to get in a car, and see if he could find a bus to hit head on--and kill 27 human beings.

 

This is where your point is really made--because driving under the influence is against the law ..... and with the previous DUI under his belt--it isn't so easy to say that he made a "bad decision" that had dire consequences.

 

On a related note--I spent some time reading some old articles about this topic. It is amazing at the spiritual strength of the people involved.

 

I am still interested in the approach that Mahoney has taken. I came across many articles that noted that an attempt was made to contact Mahoney--but he didn't return the call or his family declined the interview requests. I did come across an article with a survivor interview--where the lady wrote to him--and visited him in prison. That kind of leads me to believe that his handling of the situation demonstrates a true understanding of his role.

My wife and I were driving back from Louisville yesterday and were discussing the accident and the signs. I had just moved to Carrollton and started to work two days before jury selection for the trial so I wasn't here for the accident.

 

We thought that that accident couldn't occur where it did today on I-71 under the same circumstances. The traffic volume has had to increase at least 200% and cell phones would have reported the driver.

 

Somebody had a different plan for certain people as this was a perfect storm.

 

There was a bad feeling about the wording on the sign as the "Carrollton bus crash" as it had nothing to do with the town located 4 miles off the interstate. It wasn't our bus crash, it was the First Assemble of God bus crash and for those kids it should have been noted as such.

 

Prayers every day for those traveling anywhere - anytime.

I am friends with a guy who was in this crash. He was very badly burned and injured. He has a hard time talking about it still to this day. What a horrible accident it was and hopefully we will always remember the lives who were taken.

Today makes 25 years later.

 

The Carrollton School Bus Inferno ~ Crime Library

First public screening tonight in Elizabethtown.

 

I grew up in the area and am very good friends with the Pearman and Bell families who were both affected. Very tragic accident and one that had a huge impact on the community. I work with survivors and their families and there was a different mood in the office today before I left.

 

Also, when I was very young I was in a bad car wreck and the passengers of the car who hit us were all crash survivors. I can still vividly remember them having flashbacks to the crash and their reactions. Very scary as a young child and something I'll never forget.

I grew up in the area and am very good friends with the Pearman and Bell families who were both affected. Very tragic accident and one that had a huge impact on the community. I work with survivors and their families and there was a different mood in the office today before I left.

 

Also, when I was very young I was in a bad car wreck and the passengers of the car who hit us were all crash survivors. I can still vividly remember them having flashbacks to the crash and their reactions. Very scary as a young child and something I'll never forget.

 

Wow.

 

I've seen that sign along the Interstate many times. I was ten-years-old when it happened, but can vividly remember all the media coverage as well as my parents & their friends discussing it. Just a tragic event.

 

Wow.

 

I've seen that sign along the Interstate many times. I was ten-years-old when it happened, but can vividly remember all the media coverage as well as my parents & their friends discussing it. Just a tragic event.

 

Checking Facebook right now and looking at the pictures people are posting of tonight's memorial service...