Posted by GodsChild (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 1:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The reason Cockerham will be cited is that a joint investigation by the Vidalia Police Department and the Louisiana State Police could find no evidence that the school bus was trying to stop before it struck the garbage truck, a statement from the Vidalia Police Department said

It's a bus for crying out loud. Did they think there was going to be skid marks or something. Poor investigation on the law enforcers!!!!

Posted by azlm101 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 5:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I heard that a video from Walmat parking lot showed the whole wreck! and you know a picture is worth a thousand words!

Posted by babev1 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 6:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

it could have been that he had to look back at some of the kids on the bus the drivers are trying to drive and make sure nothing is going on they need somebody on the bus to watch the kids so the driver does not have to do everything. I think that a ticket is wrong the garbage pulled out in front of the bus for the same reason everyone eles does no one wants to be behine a bus

Posted by ucantfixstupid (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 6:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

When you run in to the back of another vehicle you usually are the one at fault. It has nothing to do with who is who, it is who made the mistake of running into the back of another. The investigation proved who was wrong. Yes, I feel sorry for Mr. Cockerham but what is right is right. When you are in a school bus full of children there are bound to be some distrations, accidents happen.

Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 6:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Nobody wants to see a good guy get a ticket. It just doesn't seem to fit his character. But the law, being what it is, says he must be ticketed. I say let's put a little extra into his account to offset this extra expense. I'll pay on it...where is his account? Concordia Bank?

Posted by kilabe (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 7:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No its at the better bank "DELTA" Bank!! I'm w/ babev1 there needs to be another adult on the bus to control the kids while the bus driver drives. God bless you Mr. C.

Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought the same thing, kelabe. There needs to be a supervisor on the bus to control the youngins while the driver does his job.

Posted by eagle (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 7:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

He is not at Promise hospital. He is at Heritage manor health and rehab in Ferriday. Get your facts straight before you print something ND.

Posted by fairthinking (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mr,Cockerham has driven a school bus for 32 years and I can tell you that his concern from the time he got on the bus till he got off the bus was for the safety of every child on his bus!!!!!!!!! An accident happened and really no ones knows everything that happened that morning!!! Yes he was given a citation but unless Mr. Cockerham remembers{the Dr,'s in Jackson says due to the truama he may never remember] no one will really know the full truth of that morning.!!!! i will tell you the first thing he wanted to know when he woke up was about his children on the bus not about himself!!!!!He remembers Dalton Wiley asking him to hold on and that is all !!!!! No matter what happened that morning God IS IN CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HE has the anwers !! Our prayers are THANK GOD THAT EVERYONE SURVIVED!! WE PRAY OUR CHILDREN WILL LOOK BACK AND THIS WILL BE A SMALL PART OF THEIR LIFE!!!! PRAY FOR THEM AND mr. james

Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 7:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is really sad. First the picture of the blood soaked bus is on the front page (which was unnecessary) then the boy that was the hero (VERY necessary) now this is the headlines. Maybe it was the buses fault, but to be plastered on the front page...really. I'm sure the Cockerham family has gone through enough without this.

babev1
I agree the kids on the buses are so out of control there should be an extra adult tho keep things under control.

Posted by mom3 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 7:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sorry Mr.cockerham is being ticketed,but it is the law.All I am hearing about is Mr.Cockerham but what about the children on the bus because they weren't injured has bad it seems like no one is concered about them.

Posted by fairthinking (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

U must not have read the comment from fairthinking and you must not know anything of the benefit dinner that is to give help to some of the kids involved and their families although they have tried to refuse saying that they want it to go Mr. Cockerham!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by mom3 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Actually no and i know some of the parents haven't you seemed more informed than the parents that had kids on the bus

Posted by fairthinking (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Actually I have talked to several of the parents starting with the ones with the most serious of injuries and out of pocket expenses. These are the very ones more concerned about Mr. Cockerham. The tickets for these dinners will go on sale next week and the ones to benefit from it will get what it was organized for. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Posted by realdeal1150 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

After having read the comments above I can't help but wonder why anyone would put down the investigators of the accident. The team from LSP are experts at what they do and have the most up to date equipment at this time. They do this everyday and are considered experts in their field, even in a court of law.
Do we ever stop and think that they also interviewed eyewitnesses to the incident. Not just one or two but several. The VPD investigators gathered information from witnesses immediately after the incident as well as helped take care of the children.
As stated if you hit someone from behind in our State as well as others, you are responsible. I hate that he got a ticket but it could have been a whole lot worse.
I agree with the idea that there needs to be a second adult on board the bus and that their job would be to control the kids. I remember riding a bus to school and how the driver would be distracted because of the foolishness we were involved in at the back of the bus. No different today except traffic is ten times worse.
I have known Mr. James for years and know that his concern for the children was his number one priority. There are all kinds of rumors out there as to what might have happened and that's what they are, rumors.
I thank God that no children were killed or maimed for life. Mr. James needs our prayers as well as his family.
Please remember that the people who come clean up the mess and do the investigations are some of our friends and neighbors as well as they have families too who read this paper and see those comments.
As a responder I can tell you that after everything is over and you go home after a really bad incident, you relive each moment and pray that you crossed all your t's and dotted all your i's. These people should be commended instead of ridiculed.
Please keep us posted on any events to help raise money for Mr. James. I'll be sure to buy my fair share as well as make a donation. It could have been one of us.

Posted by ucantfixstupid (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

dixiemama, yes this whole situation is sad but it is the news. The pictures and the updates are all part of what NEWS is all about. If you don't want to know what is happening in our area DON'T READ THE PAPER, it is part of life. Not everything is sunshine and roses.

Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ucantfixstupid
True, but would you feel different if Mr. Cockerham were kin to you?

Posted by onesideortheother (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

COULD IT BE........the garbage truck driver was not ticketed because he works for the city of vidalia and the garbage truck is A CITY VEHICLE???......and VIDALIA DOES NOT WANT TO BE SUED???

Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why would the garbage truck driver be ticketed. Wasn't he rear ended? If a man runs into the back of another vehicle, 95% of the time it is his fault. I am sure some people like this driver, but you people need to realize he made a mistake, and there are consequences for mistakes such as a ticket. It doesn't matter if you are liked or not. The investigation team did a great job, you people need to support your law enforcement, they are out there to keep us ALL safe.

Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

well folks,

he couldn't see, and if he had hit the brakes there would be skid marks, and generally speaking

if you hit someone from behind, it's your fault

obviously he failed to maintain control, we all know how bad the sun is early in the morning driving eastbound over there, he should have had the visor down, or some sunglasses or a cap or something

the other day I was driving into the setting sun and couldn't see a thing, couldn't even see the stoplight at all, it was very dangerous, but that is part of driving that we are supposed to take into consideration and be prepared for - cap, sunglasses, etc. We must all drive defensively and NEVER tailgate (I"m not saying Cockerham was, I just think he couldn't see, and may have been distracted by the kids in the bus too, I don't know)

I hope he heals up ok, hate it that this happened, several kids I know and am attached to were on that bus and I'm very grateful to the Good Lord they weren't hurt.

you can't make judicial decisions based on emotion

Posted by babygirl19751975 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you know reading all these comments i can understand everyone's points but has anyone said anything about what the children had to say on what happened? my daughter was one of those children on that bus and she was taken to the hospital, and right now today she is still complaining about her neck and back hurting all the time. but we have read what the investigators said their find was but no one has mentioned what the children say happened

Posted by fairthinking (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was wondering the same thing. No one has come to take the statement of most of the kids on the bus. Out of the mouths of babes the truth comes. Their statements should have been taken immediately they are the real witnesses.

Posted by reebelfan91 (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My daughter,who was in the wreck, is really messed up mentally and physically,cried because Mr.Cockerham is in trouble over this,although she is hurting,she only thinks of him.My wife is worried about her child and all the doctor visits to Jackson,money to go back and forth,and people have asked us "if you need any help,call,well out of ten,one person is willing to help,9 hypocrits!!

Posted by bolyert (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 8:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

my dad was in a wreck by dodgers some man in a flat bed work truck pulled out in front of him at 6 in the morning without any lights on and they gave my dad a ticket for it they said the same thing about him he didn't have any skid marks and something about if he would have used his brakes he had time to stop but if you can't see someone without lights how are you suppose to stop and how could they tell how close he was to the man there wasn't any witnesses the state police got to the wreck an hour after and that is who charged him the man had moved his truck and turned his lights on by then and another thing the truck caught the side of my dads jeep but they said he didn't try to stop the wreck i hope mr cockerham a full recover and god bless the families involved

Posted by fairthinking (anonymous) on November 6, 2008 at 9:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PLEASE LET ME TELL EVERYONE THAT MR. COCKERHAM'S FAMILY RESPECTS EACH AND EVERY LAW OFFICER IN THIS TOWN, PARISH AND STATE!!! THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO AND THAT IS THE WAY IT IS!!!! ALL WE ASK FOR IS FAIRNESS AND THAT WILL COME OUT IN THE FAR FUTURE!!! I KNOW MR.JAMES TAKES HIS JOB SERIOUS WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHILDREN ON HIS BUS!!!! IF A CHILD STANDS UP ON THE BUS WHILE BUS IS IN MOTION THAT CHILD IS WRITTEN UP AND TAKEN TO THE OFFICE!!!!!! GOD I AM SO GLAD TODAY THAT HE IS A STRICT BUS DRIVER BECAUSE IF ONE CHILD HAD BEEN STANDING WE MAY HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A MUCH WORSE SITUATION!!! I THANK GOD THAT ALL OUR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE OK!!!! MR. JAMES WILL BE OK IN THE NEAR FUTURE!!! HE HAS A VERY DETERMINATION TO WALK AGAIN AND I KNOW HE WILL DO THAT AND THEN WILL SEE HIS CHILDREN!!! IN FACT SOME OF HIS CHILDREN HAS BEEN TO SEE HIM!!! A FEW TEARS SHED BUT WAS GOOD FOR HIM TO SEE THEM!!!ALL OF THE CHILDREN ARE WELCOME TO COME SEE MR.COCKERHAM IF THEIR PARENTS WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO SEE HIM. HE IS AT HERITAGE MANOR REHAB IN FERRIDAY!!!! PRAY FOR HIM AS WELL HE PRAYS FOR HIS CHILDREN!!

Posted by CtheOtherSide (anonymous) on November 8, 2008 at 12:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm glad someone mentioned about what the children said at the time. In the newspaper, a child was quoted (unofficially, of course, and with a disclaimer pending investigation) as saying that the trash truck sped in front of the bus and then suddenly slowed or stopped. I didn't look up the article again before making this comment, but doesn't anyone remember this? That child, too, cared a great deal for Mr. Cockerham, and was very concerned about his welfare. I'm fairly new to this area, and the comments I've heard about this driver speak so very highly of him as a person and as a leader to his bus passengers. It sounds like just the kind of person we need dealing with our children. We should have more avenues to recognize such positive influencers of our future leaders; people should know about them before they're in the newspaper in a tragic way. It's a shame, too, that he's having to take the blame for this accident. But life isn't always fair, and unfortunately, at times those officials we are at the mercy of are not always impartial. I hope it all irons out, and if anyone has testimony to offer in this accident, I hope they offer it to the proper authorities, and hopefully more light will shine on this unsavory affair. We all need to pray for Mr. Cockerham's hasty and complete recovery, and for the mental, social and physical health of all those young bus passengers as they work through the memories of that tragedy. They should be encouraged to talk about it in a healthy environment. Parents, it's prime time to help your children understand, and let them know it's okay to be upset until it's worked through to resolution in their own way.