What did Hermanio Joseph do? Driver arrested in wake of Ohio school bus crash that killed student Aiden Clark

On Wednesday, August 23, Clark County officials charged 35-year-old Hermanio Joseph in connection to the Ohio car crash that killed elementary school student Aiden Clark. The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 22, when Hermanio Joseph's minivan collided with a school bus from the Northwestern Local Schools District. The crash left Clark dead and injured over 20 other students.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a fatal accident, the reader's discretion is advised

According to The Columbus Dispatch, at the time of the accident, Hermanio Joseph was not driving with a valid license. He has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide.

As his license was suspended at the time, he is facing a fourth-degree felony. Authorities stated that Joseph may face further charges in the future.

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The circumstances that led to Hermanio Joseph's indictment

As per Dayton 24/7, at the time of the collision, the school bus was a few minutes away from Northwestern Elementary. Authorities reported that at approximately 8:15 am, Hermanio Joseph was driving a 2010 Honda Odyssey with another passenger onboard, 37-year-old Robert Mompremier. As he went left of the center line on State Route 41, he saw the bus approaching and attempted to swerve. However, he was unable to avoid the crash.

After the collision, the elementary school bus swerved off the road and flipped over. The vehicle, which held approximately 50 occupants, ended up upside down on the road.

One student, Aiden Clark, died after being ejected from the bus. Another student was reportedly transported to the hospital with critical injuries. 22 students were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

A 5-year-old student on the bus, Rigel Fischer, described the scene:

"When it tipped, it flipped over but then went back to the side. The tire popped and a van hit it," Fischer said.

In the aftermath of the harrowing scene, several civilians attempted to help. Kiarra Maloney, a witness at the scene, told Dayton 24/7 about how she tried to pick up one corner of the bus so the children could escape.

“I will never forget a little girl, she was try’na help, just something in her eyes, I just picked up the corner of that bus and with all of our strength flip it," Maloney said.

Another civilian, Katie Stephens, told the outlet that even her 8-year-old daughter attempted to join the rescue effort.

"That was my eight-year-old daughter, she seen I was helping, she seen a lot of us were helping push the bus up, and she thought that she needed to be there," Stephens said.

In the aftermath of the crash, Hermanio Joseph and Robert Mompremier also sustained minor injuries. However, they were transported to the hospital in stable condition. After the the initial stages of the investigation, officials accused Joseph of being responsible for the car crash.