SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) — The trial for the man accused of causing the deadly Northwestern school bus crash will remain in Clark County.
According to a ruling by Judge Douglas M. Rastatter, “At this point in time, the Court has no reason to believe that a fair and impartial trial cannot be held in Clark County.”
Hermanio Joseph is facing a first-degree felony charge of Involuntary Manslaughter and a fourth-degree felony charge of Vehicular Homicide after a crash that killed an 11-year-old student at Northwestern Local Schools. Dozens of other students were also injured in the crash.
Joseph’s attorneys were reportedly seeking a change of venue due to extensive media coverage and social media discussion surrounding the case.
Although Rastatter has overruled the motion, the court may reconsider the decision if during jury selection it appears that a fair and impartial trial cannot be held in Clark County.
Joseph is expected to appear in court on Oct. 30 at 8:30 a.m. for a pretrial conference.
