Judge rejects plea deal for Ohio driver who was on phone when her bus killed a pedestrian

Judge rejects homicide plea for Ohio bus driver

CLEVELAND — A judge has rejected a plea deal for a Cleveland bus driver who was on her cell phone when her bus struck and killed a man in a crosswalk in March.

Fifty-year-old Angela Williams is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.

Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH’-guh) County Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland-Saffold on Thursday refused to sign off on a deal in which Williams would plead guilty to a lesser charge of vehicular homicide and serve up to six months in jail. The judge said the deal was not the best way to serve justice.

Opening statements in the trial are expected Friday.

Williams was fired. Bus drivers in Cleveland are prohibited from using cell phones while behind the wheel.

Information from: The Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com