Judge approves new prosecutor in Athens fatal bus crash case

ATHENS, Texas (KLTV) - A Henderson County district judge has signed an order allowing the state attorney general to appoint a new prosecutor in the case involving a fatal school bus crash in Athens.

The order allows any attorney from the state AG office to be appointed district attorney pro tem in the case of John Paul Stevens.

Stevens was the driver of an Athens ISD school bus which was involved with a crash with a train on Jan. 25, 2019. Christopher Bonilla, a 13-year-old Athens Middle School student, was killed in the crash. Nine-year-old Joselyne Torres, a student from Central Athens Elementary, was injured when she was trapped inside the bus.

Stevens, 81, of Mabank, is charged with criminal negligent homicide and injury to a child.

The order for a new prosecutor comes after a previously appointed attorney from the AG’s office left the office.

The Henderson County District Attorney’s Office has been recused from the case.

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