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Family members have gathered at the scene of a devastating bus crash that claimed the lives of more than a dozen individuals on their way back to Manhattan from a Connecticut casino one week ago. It is a solemn and heartbreaking ceremony, with many of the victims' relatives in tears.
It is also a Buddhist ceremony, with monks leading prayers. Mourners burned incense at the spot where the bus returning from Mohegan Sun overturned and was sliced into two by a pole.
The vehicle toppled onto its side and crashed into the pole on I-95 southbound. The crash killed 15 people. As a result of the ongoing investigation, state and federal regulators have cracked down on these types of tour buses, conducting surprise inspections.
The bus driver, Ophadell Williams, has been questioned by investigators. NBC New York has learned he had his driving privileges suspended years ago, when he was driving under a different name.
Passengers told investigators he may have been dozing off in the moments before the crash. Several people remain hospitalized. Many are on life support.
In the specific case of Williams' past, it was revealed Thursday that during at least two traffic stops before he became a bus driver, Williams told police that he did not have his license on him.
It appears he was given summonses under the name Erik Williams and allowed to drive away in those cases, a source familiar with the case said.
And when those violations were never paid, driving privileges for "Erik Williams" were suspended, the source said.
Officials said at the time of the bus crash, it appears his license under his real name Ophadell Williams was in good standing.
"The information the DMV is referring for investigation includes driver license applications containing false statements about the status of his license and whether this was done to conceal the fact that he had been using multiple names and had a suspension under one of those names," said Howard Glaser, Gov. Cuomo's director of state operations.
Williams has now had his license suspended.
He was questioned by state police and federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board this week at the Brooklyn office of the bus company, World Wide Tours.
Williams met with authorities this week after NBC New York was first to report he has a criminal record that includes the driving arrest.
He has not been charged with any crime related to the crash and officials stress the investigation is still in its early stages.
Williams blew a .00 in a blood-alcohol test at the scene and voluntarily offered blood for a more precise blood alcohol test, officials said. Authorities are examining what Williams did in the 72 hours prior to the early morning crash, and have indicated the investigation could turn into a criminal matter.
First Published: Mar 19, 2011 8:13 AM EDT
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