Woman, 23, likely to be charged in Cottonwood bus crash today

MARSHALL, MINN. - The 23-year-old woman whose van collided with a school bus was arrested Thursday afternoon and booked on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation in connection with the crash that killed four children near Cottonwood, Minn.

Authorities will hold a 10 a.m. news conference today to discuss the arrest of Alianiss Nunez Morales, 23, of Minneota. She is scheduled to make her first court appearance today in Lyon County District Court.

The Minnesota State Patrol's investigation of the crash continued Thursday, and Lyon County Attorney Rick Maes said much of the paperwork from the investigation was already on his desk.

"One [part of the investigation] is whether she was operating the vehicle in a grossly negligent manner," Maes said.

"So we need to look at what exactly witnesses identified at that particular intersection."

Maes would not elaborate on Morales' actions that led to the arrest, and declined to say whether she was speeding. Other charges are possible, but it is unlikely that other drivers involved will be charged, Maes said.

The driver of the pickup truck involved in the crash said that the van driven by Morales hit the side of the school bus at the intersection of Minnesota Hwy. 23 and County Road 24 near Cottonwood on Tuesday afternoon.

The bus skidded on its side into the pickup truck driven by James Hancock, 47, of Marshall, who is hospitalized with a broken leg, a broken hand and other injuries.

The children who died were Jesse Javens, 13, and Hunter Javens, 9, both of Cottonwood; Reed Stevens, 12, of Marshall; and Emilee Olson, 9, of Cottonwood. They were among 28 students on the bus. In addition to Hancock, eight children remained hospitalized in Sioux Falls, S.D., Marshall and Rochester.

Reactions to Morales' arrest were mixed at a prayer service Thursday.

"The fact that somebody's been arrested isn't going to help the families," said Jim Tubbs, a Marshall resident, before the service attended by 200 local residents and state political leaders. "It isn't going to bring these kids back.''

But others welcomed the arrest.

"I'm glad justice is being served," said Cottonwood resident Nancy Veldhuisen, whose daughter attends Lakeview School. "She is where she should be.''

Previous accident

According to state records, Morales has a Minnesota identification card but does not have a valid driver's license. She pleaded guilty in June 2006 to driving without a license and paid a $182 fine.

Recalling that incident, Sandra Keding of Montevideo said in an interview Thursday that she had been reading the newspaper in her home that afternoon when she heard gravel flying.

"I stood up from the couch and looked out my window and this car was coming right toward my house," said Keding, 45. "The car hit the curb, came right up on my yard and stopped about 12 feet from the front of my house."

She recalled that Morales was driving and that she was "shaking all over and was a total wreck." When Morales tried to shift the automatic transmission on the blue Dodge Neon, she couldn't.

"She apparently didn't know how to drive the car," Keding said. "I had to get in and move it. She acted like she didn't know how to shift."

Police arrived and ticketed Morales for driving without a Minnesota license.

Federal officials assisting

Morales worked at the Jenny-O turkey plant in Willmar for three months ending in January, according to Julie Kraven, a spokeswoman at Hormel Foods in Austin, which owns Jenny-O.

Federal immigration officials are assisting the State Patrol's investigation of the crash and are looking into Morales' background, according to Tim Counts, local spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Morales' arrest will help authorities determine her status with fingerprints and other information. "Now that she's actually in someone's custody, that will facilitate our procedures," Counts said.

In Cottonwood, classes resumed Thursday, with the flag outside Lakeview School lowered to half-staff.

"It's kind of awkward," said junior Kevin Louwagie, who knew the Javens brothers.

But Louwagie, like other students, was hopeful that school could calm nerves. "[Students] can be together," he said. "They can grieve together. They don't have to be alone."

Superintendent Sheldon Johnson met with bus drivers as the school day started, praying with them and sharing words of encouragement and compliments. Dennis Devereaux, who drove the bus in Tuesday's crash, rode his route Thursday as a passenger.

Johnson said he expects Devereaux will return to the job he's had for about 10 years.

The chaos of Tuesday's crash is not new to Johnson. He was superintendent in Monticello in 1997 when a gravel truck broadsided a school bus. Three children and the truck driver died.

"It relives the most tragic event of my 43 years in this profession," said Johnson as he closed his eyes. "We've been able to anticipate the unfolding of events [in Cottonwood] throughout this ordeal."

At the ecumenical memorial service Thursday night, the Lakeview gymnasium was filled with flowers sent in sympathy for the town's loss. Large posters of the victims hung on the walls, which were also plastered with poignant but upbeat messages from friends. Residents scribbled additional messages to be posted as they waited for the service to begin.

"Horses are cool but I like monkeys, Love, Mariah" read one message addressed to Emilee Olson, who had shown ponies in local contests.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty and U.S. Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar all attended the event and spoke briefly before Lakeview school students read aloud from the Bible.

cxiong@startribune.com curt.brown@startribune.com asimons@startribune.com