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Driver Who Hit Bus Charged With DUI Save Email Print
MAT bus hit from behind
Posted: 2:09 PM Aug 18, 2008
 Last Updated: 3:23 PM Aug 19, 2008
 Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com
27 comments
A | A | A

The driver who rear-ended a MAT bus Monday morning has been charged with first-offense drunk driving and reckless driving.

Omaha Police are awaiting alcohol test results for 59-year-old Keith Anderson, who witnesses say was weaving in and out of traffic before ramming into the stopped bus at Benson Garden Boulevard near 80th Street around 11:30 a.m.

“Was just jumpin' the curb, comin' back off, jumpin' the curb, comin' back off and then all at once he just acted like he was goin' to swerve to miss the bus, but he was too close to it,” said witness Bob McDonald. “He just plowed (into) it."

Eight people, including Anderson, suffered minor injuries.

The bus driver said he had just picked up a passenger and was ready to take off when the bus was struck. "All of a sudden we just got blasted from behind, I mean really hard, so hard it threw me, it threw the passengers in the back on the floor,” said Terry Moore. “Everybody was thrown and shook up. It was just terrible."
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Posted by: mike on Aug 23, 2008 at 09:44 AM
what some of you people say it why evrything is the way it is so fast to pass sentence on someone maybe some should look in there own closet first but whats the first thing you hear on the news everytime drunk driver kills family ,teens out drinking , family fights due drinking bar fights due to drinking, you can go on for awhile SO LETS BAN DRINKING IT KILLS YOU ARE NOT SAFE TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS
Posted by: CW on Aug 22, 2008 at 01:38 PM
Brittney, I have to say that I can feel you when people say harsh things like execution. No wonder our society is so messed up..it seems like everyone is ready to kill others for messing up. It was a first offense and I'm HOPING he learns his lesson...but for him to be drinking WHILE driving is a VERY bad choice and intentional. If there wasn't open containers and a case of Busch light next to him in the truck then I could see him getting away with jail time, probation, and a fine...BUT the intentional part of it in MY OPINNION (and it's just an oppinion) he should have his license revoked for 5 years AND serve 1 year in jail. He was VERY lucky that no one died. He hit that bus fast and I am surprised the injuries were minor. Lesson is...we as a society need to start being more PROACTIVE and start doing something about alcoholics, addicts, gangs, murder, shootings..so, instead of sentencing someone on blogs, leave that to the judge & instead do something to promote a safe community
Posted by: Brittney on Aug 22, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Joe, I was not making excuses for him. I was simply saying that people over react by saying he should be executed and that he is a loser because of his choice that he made. Yes there should be punishment but execution? The chair? I think that is going a little too far and it does hit personally to hear some one so cold to say that. You are putting him in a class with the worst criminals and that I do not believe is fair. No whether or not he will be driving. I don't think so. Not everyone keeps repeating their mistakes. Some people do learn!
Posted by: Jerry on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:13 AM
It amazes me how some of you can post comments when it is obvious that you didn't even read the artical.
Posted by: Joe on Aug 21, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Brittney, your making excuses. There is No excuse for driving drunk. This man deserves serious prison time at the very least. I dont care if he was the POPE himself there is no forgiveness for driving drunk. people know better. Its a choice, a bad one, and now he should pay the consequences. I did check myself, always driven sober, and have have zero tolerance for drunk drivers. since you know him lets see if you are willing to call the cops when you see him driving on his soon to be suspended license for the next 12 months, knowing that if you dont, and he crashes you are an accessory. You defended this drunk driver thats your first mistake. I would send any drunk driver, even family to prison or the chair. At least they would never do it again.
Posted by: RM on Aug 21, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Some people drink in the am because they work a third shift it would be like getting off work at 5 or so and stopping for a beer. There work shift ends at a different time is all.
Posted by: Brittney on Aug 21, 2008 at 10:38 AM
This man is a person and made a mistake. Who are all of you to judge him when you had nothing to do with the situation? Do you know this mans background or who he is as a person. I am not saying he wasn't in the wrong for driving while drunk but check yourselves before you go and talk about some one like they are "losers" or in-human. This man is a father and a wonderful grandfather. A very loving man that made a horrible choice. And seriously execution? Really? Who made you God? People make mistakes. God is forgiving you should learn.
Posted by: Joe on Aug 20, 2008 at 04:11 PM
Donnie, With the amount of Drunk Drivers killing people on the road, maybe its time we start thinking about executing them. There is NO EXCUSE AT ALL for driving drunk. and with the way judges around here give panty wasted slaps on the wrist even when they blow 5 times the legal limit, Yes you Judge Robert Wester. The drunk drivers are not afraid. If you showed people what real punishment looks like they might rethink it. If not, its at least less tax dollars out of my pocket then a long prison sentence.
Posted by: Tami on Aug 20, 2008 at 11:30 AM
To DHB: you are exactly correct. It is never too early to drink. I have seen more than once of people driving drunk in the morning....When a person has a drinking problem, time of day never matters.
Posted by: Donnie on Aug 20, 2008 at 07:26 AM
To Joe: I agree that drinking and driving is a serious offense, but execution? I think that is a bit extreme. However, I was hit by a couple that ran a red light because their kids were fighting in the back seat of their minivan. So, if we are going to execute people for making mistakes in judgement, can we include overwhelmed soccer moms and dads as well? The kids should atleast get charged with an accessory to a crime for distracting their parents. Maybe 3-5 in juvenile?
Posted by: E on Aug 19, 2008 at 09:28 PM
So what set his driving habit apart from any other Omaha driver?
Posted by: Joe on Aug 19, 2008 at 04:38 PM
First Offense getting caught yes, First time driving drunk NO. Throw him in prison and be thankful he hit a MAT bus instead of a School Bus with kids. Drunk Drivers should be imprisoned and executed.
Posted by: Lori on Aug 19, 2008 at 03:43 PM
Huh, first offense. More likely the first time he has been caught; will get off with a slap on the hand.
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 19, 2008 at 02:41 PM
tHe CLowN PrINce Time it not relevant to be drunk. I work a night job. So, there are times when I have a beer at 10 in the morning before I go to bed. So people who dring during the late morning are not losers. People who judge people are losers.
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 19, 2008 at 02:35 PM
Good luck finding insurance again. What will a bus cost to replace? A quarter million? Plus all the medical? But who will end up paying? All the other people who have that insurace company.
Posted by: DHB on Aug 19, 2008 at 11:10 AM
They are now reporting that the driver of the pickup WAS drunk...and 11:30 is not "too early" to be drunk if you work graveyard shift, or so I have been told by people who do so. However, I do know of a number of older men in my neck of the woods(some of them now deceased) who would begin their day at the bars that opened up at 7 am, make the rounds from bar to bar until lunchtime, then go home for a quick nap only to start all over again around 3:30 or 4 pm. I think you're more likely to be involved in an accident with a DUI driver during the day, simply because of the heavier volume of traffic, than late at night.
Posted by: annonymous on Aug 19, 2008 at 12:07 AM
I ran out of comment room, but I'd like to also thank WOWT for not exaggerating the story like one of the other news stations had. I appreciate the station for also not interviewing a man who said he was more involved that he was in helping the victims. I understand news stations want to have the highest ratings, but I've always appreciated WOWT for not making facts up and just giving the information they know. Thank you.
Posted by: Brian on Aug 18, 2008 at 10:26 PM
I love how people read into things and don't know the facts, but jump to conclusions anyway. The driver of the pickup was 59 and was behaving erratically prior to hitting the bus. It is possible that he had a medical condition as one person suggested. My father was driving a pickup when his heart stopped, went through a red light (dead) and hit a brand new Cadillac broadside. It was the medication that his doctor's had given him. The impact actually restarted his heart and nobody was seriously injured. All I am saying is that there could be other circumstances besides being drunk and/or being a loser. If it was up to most of the righteous people on here that think everyone should be ticketed or charged for everything under the sun then 3/4's of this country would be criminals. Get a life. I hope everyone is okay.
Posted by: Tia on Aug 18, 2008 at 09:58 PM
So much to say but yet you remain Anonymous and yes people do sue even when they are not injured I had a teenager hit my car at a red light but I was not hurt and my car was not that bad and I could have sued but I let them go so I guess that is how my narrow mind thinks get a life I took back what I said after they said people were injured when it was first posted it did not say that
Posted by: Lucky on Aug 18, 2008 at 08:55 PM
This may sound bad but not intended to be, I am thankful he hit a bus and not a small car or motorcycle. The bus took a very hard impact. I hope the folks on the bus are OK, thank god they were not in a car.
Posted by: tHe CLowN PrINce on Aug 18, 2008 at 08:37 PM
11:30 a bit early to be drunk, unless the guy is a total loser in which case lock him up for good long time. Tia is not totally off the wall, years ago they staged fake bus accidents to catch insurance fraud, you should have seen how many people ran on the bus to claim they were passengers. easy way to stop that is to put a camera on the bus It's a shame that gets in the way of real claims.
Posted by: Tia on Aug 18, 2008 at 05:04 PM
I take back what I said about the people claiming to be hurt that was heartless I hope everyone is ok seriously
Posted by: Sue on Aug 18, 2008 at 04:55 PM
If anyone or anything should be sued it should be this man ONLY, it wasn't the bus company, bus driver or citys fault. It was ONLY the fault of this idiot...Keith Anderson.
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 18, 2008 at 04:52 PM
Tia - read the story - it clearly states that 7 of the 8 passengers were hurt in this accident. I rather doubt that "other people" will be able to claim they were hurt in this crash just to get money. If the injured people due sue the driver of the pickup truck, that is their right in the good ole USA. I rather doubt the bus driver is going to be found at fault here - there were witnesses to this accident. You probably don't have to worry your narrow-minded little head that this accident is going to somehow raise your taxes or cause you some personal out-of-pocket expense. How would you feel if it turns out that you know or are maybe even related to someone that was injured on that bus? Not "everyone" is looking to sue - maybe that's just how your mind works. I would be willing to bet these passengers just want to be healed from their injuries.
Posted by: Sandy on Aug 18, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Did the gentelman have a medical problem?
Posted by: Tia on Aug 18, 2008 at 03:29 PM
Guess none of the passengers will be riding the bus anymore can we say lawsuit watch and see how many claim they are hurt
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 18, 2008 at 02:24 PM
How terrible - I hope those that were injured are not seriously hurt. By the looks of the picture, the driver of the truck could be critically/seriously injured. Speedy recovery to all!
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