Illinois Man Facing New Charges in School Bus Accident

New charges have been filed against the man responsible for crashing into two minibuses carrying members of the New Prairie High School baseball team in May. Shawn Akison of Illinois was previously arrested and charged with criminal recklessness in connection to the crash on U.S. 20 and Fail Road.

Akison is now facing four new felony and two misdemeanor charges, including causing catastrophic injury when operating while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injury when operating while intoxicated, two charges of criminal recklessness, and two misdemeanor charges of operating while intoxicated.

Akison’s bond was also increased to $20,000. He is expected to appear in court again Friday.

The Crash

On May 8, Akison crashed a box truck he was driving into two New Prairie United School Corporation minibuses at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Fail Road, injuring seven JV baseball team players and two coaches. One student was critically injured with a brain bleed and airlifted to a nearby hospital by medical helicopter.

Prior to the crash, police in St. Joseph County were pursuing Akison, attempting to stop him for driving recklessly on State Road 2, swerving across lanes, and nearly hitting several vehicles. Attempts to pull him over were unsuccessful and police ultimately abandoned pursuit once he crossed into LaPorte County, where he struck the baseball team buses and a tractor-trailer a short time later. Witnesses told police he was speeding and on his cell phone, which Akison himself later admitted.

LaPorte County police say he was exhibiting signs of impairment, was uncooperative, and initially refused any form of testing. Police were eventually able to secure a court-ordered warrant to administer a blood test. Those results are pending.

Police in St. Joseph County have charged Akison with resisting law enforcement for his actions in that jurisdiction prior to the crash.

Extensive Driving Record

Akison has a shocking criminal driving record. Since 2000, he has racked up nearly 40 traffic-related cases in Will County, Illinois, where he resides. Court records show he has faced charges of driving with a revoked or suspended license seven times, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving, and five instances of driving an uninsured vehicle.

He has also been charged with driving 11-to-14 miles over the speed limit three times, 15-to-20 miles over the speed limit six times, and one instance of driving 31-or-more miles per hour over the speed.

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