Carrollton Bus Crash - 35 Years Ago

[justanotherguy505]

Today marks one of darkest moments in Kentucky history; the Carrollton Bus crash caused 27 deaths (24 kids) and 34 injuries. Many of the survivors are still alive. This crash has led to Kentucky having the most stringent policies in regards to school bus; all buses must have 9 emergency exits. Even a side door and the windows would have prevented most, if not all fatalities that night.

Larry Wayne Mahoney (born 1953) only served 10 years, and offered a (was it genuine?) apology and spoke about, likely to get a more lenient sentence. That POS has refused to speak about it, despite the requests of survivors. He’s too much of a ***** to speak to kids about the dangers of drunk driving. Instead, he lives as a recluse on Old Moxley Rd, just outside of Worthville in Owen County. I bet his life is a trite and miserable one, as it should. He probably could have redeemed himself, but is too much of a POS to do so. Hopefully, he continues to suffer until he owns what he did that night. Rant over

 

[AIChatGPT]

This happened when I was in 4th grade.

The nun teacher scared the **** out of us talking about it.

 

[BC_Wader]

Harold Dennis was one of our players and he survived that crash.

 

[justanotherguy505]

Harold Dennis was one of our players and he survived that crash.

Yep. My brother had him as a coach. I played but not under him. I am not one to doxx this dude (Mahoney), and I know some info about him, but he's definitely a POS for refusing to respond to victims. He has lived a modest life, and is likely a miserable human being. I think him coming out and responding would make his life less miserable.

 

[RunninRichie]

Yep. My brother had him as a coach. I played but not under him. I am not one to doxx this dude (Mahoney), and I know some info about him, but he's definitely a POS for refusing to respond to victims. He has lived a modest life, and is likely a miserable human being. I think him coming out and responding would make his life less miserable.

Or maybe he's just grief struck after killing 24 kids?

 

[kywildcatsfan#1]

There's a bus in memorial to the victims parked alongside of 31-W around the Wal-Mart on the edge of Radcliff/Etown a few miles from my house as well as a memorial to them at the North Hardin cemetery.

 

[justanotherguy505]

Or maybe he's just grief struck after killing 24 kids?

After 30+ years? Sorry, not buying it. Why are we making excuses for this POS?

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

Yep. My brother had him as a coach. I played but not under him. I am not one to doxx this dude (Mahoney), and I know some info about him, but he's definitely a POS for refusing to respond to victims. He has lived a modest life, and is likely a miserable human being. I think him coming out and responding would make his life less miserable.

Wow.I didn’t realize they were seeking the death penalty back then

 

[LordEggForgotHisPassword_rivals]

He may be an *******. Or he may not be. I don't know. It's hard to imagine what it must be like to have authored a tragedy like he did. I don't blame him for being a recluse. I do not understand why you would not move somewhere else and be a recluse there, rather than where the accident occurred (more or less).

 

[JimmyWa11]

He should have received the death penalty. Would have been better for all parties involved in the tragedy.

 

[MegaBlue05]

He may be an *******. Or he may not be. I don't know. It's hard to imagine what it must be like to have authored a tragedy like he did. I don't blame him for being a recluse. I do not understand why you would not move somewhere else and be a recluse there, rather than where the accident occurred (more or less).

I couldn’t imagine it either. I probably would’ve offed myself before my court date. Unless Mahoney is a total sociopath, the guilt he must feel has to be overwhelming.

I do think his sentence was way too lenient. He’s responsible for deaths of a lot of innocent people. 10 years per death, consecutively, doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

 

[BankerCat12]

How do you earn a living b/c I dont think anyone would hire him?

What he did is unimaginable, but if he could have started talking to kids throughout the country, I bet he could have saved one more life.

 

[bookerfan66]

He should have never been let out of prison.

 

[DSmith21]

He may be an *******. Or he may not be. I don't know. It's hard to imagine what it must be like to have authored a tragedy like he did. I don't blame him for being a recluse. I do not understand why you would not move somewhere else and be a recluse there, rather than where the accident occurred (more or less).

I knew a girl who killed someone in a DUI when she was 18. She was grief stricken and ultimately did exactly what you suggest. She moved out of state.

 

[8titles_rivals270261]

Lots of judgement in this thread.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

School buses are still awful vehicles. Entirely too high up, cheaply made, etc.

 

[kyeric]

Lots of judgement in this thread.

Would you expect anything different regarding a guy that drove on the wrong side of the interstate for quite some time, crashed into a school bus full of kids, killing 20+ and then getting out of jail after only 10yrs after which he has done literally nothing of any consequence to produce anything of redeeming value out of a horrible situation?

 

[MegaBlue05]

School buses are still awful vehicles. Entirely too high up, cheaply made, etc.

Annnnnnd … the only seat belt in one is in the driver’s seat. In a nation that has seat belt laws and always aks “what about the children?” we let children ride to and from school everyday without seat belts.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Annnnnnd … the only seat belt in one is in the driver’s seat. In a nation that has seat belt laws and always aks “what about the children?” we let children ride to and from school everyday without seat belts.

I will say that part of the reasoning for no seat bealts is that in the case of a fire in a crash, students are able to more easily escape than being attached to the seats (mainly for younger kids).

 

[Dore95]

Would you expect anything different regarding a guy that drove on the wrong side of the interstate for quite some time, crashed into a school bus full of kids, killing 20+ and then getting out of jail after only 10yrs after which he has done literally nothing of any consequence to produce anything of redeeming value out of a horrible situation?

It's complicated. He didn't intend to do what he did, although what he did was of course terrible. If instead of hitting a school bus and killing lots of people, he had hit a car and killed a single occupant, would you feel differently? He served the time that he had to serve. I'm not sure what he could have done "of consequence" to atone for his actions. If he had gone on the speaking circuit, I imagine some of the victims who are still alive and the families of those who are not would have a problem with it. Last I heard, he has lived a very quiet and sober life. Certainly better than if he was in the news with more legal problems.

 

[kyeric]

It's complicated. He didn't intend to do what he did, although what he did was of course terrible. If instead of hitting a school bus and killing lots of people, he had hit a car and killed a single occupant, would you feel differently? He served the time that he had to serve. I'm not sure what he could have done "of consequence" to atone for his actions. If he had gone on the speaking circuit, I imagine some of the victims who are still alive and the families of those who are not would have a problem with it. Last I heard, he has lived a very quiet and sober life. Certainly better than if he was in the news with more legal problems.

I'm not sure what is complicated about it. Dude killed over 20 people because he got drunk and drove. Be it one person, 100 people, doesn't matter. However many people he killed are no longer here because he CHOSE to drink and drive. He's lucky to be alive as he probably should've received the death penalty (unless it wasn't a possible sentence at that time).

In some ways, it is almost worse that there isn't any intent. When you choose to drink and drive you are basically saying, if i kill someone tonight, which is a decent possibility, i don't care, i'm gonna do it anyway.

As far as atoning, from what i could gather in the prior posts, apparently some have tried to get him to talk and/or speak out against drunk driving (and donate any money made to some kind of charity)I figured, it's the least he could do.

 

[BigBlueDave_rivals76951]

A lot of back story here. CJ article from 5/17/88.

Mahoney had an 83 IQ. His friends and his boss spoke well of him considering the circumstances.


https://courier-journal.newspapers.com/clip/67023590/son-of-john-noble-mahoney-and-mary-mahon/

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

When it comes to destructive behavior that causes the deaths of innocent people, some criminals' lives are best served as a warning to others.

 

[8titles_rivals270261]

I'm not sure what is complicated about it. Dude killed over 20 people because he got drunk and drove. Be it one person, 100 people, doesn't matter. However many people he killed are no longer here because he CHOSE to drink and drive. He's lucky to be alive as he probably should've received the death penalty (unless it wasn't a possible sentence at that time).

In some ways, it is almost worse that there isn't any intent. When you choose to drink and drive you are basically saying, if i kill someone tonight, which is a decent possibility, i don't care, i'm gonna do it anyway.

As far as atoning, from what i could gather in the prior posts, apparently some have tried to get him to talk and/or speak out against drunk driving (and donate any money made to some kind of charity)I figured, it's the least he could do.

Such an incredibly simple view of a very complex set of circumstance.

 

[Rebelfreedomeagle]

I will say that part of the reasoning for no seat bealts is that in the case of a fire in a crash, students are able to more easily escape than being attached to the seats (mainly for younger kids).

I remember the Herald doing a story following a different bus incident. They interviewed several people who said that escape is a big concern, and that school buses are designed to work like an egg carton by being rigid with interior padding, etc. The statement that stuck out to me was that school buses are not intended for highway use. They are intended for short distance transportation not on major roads.

 

[College#19]

I also think the bus manufacturer carries a lot of responsibility. Lets remember Mahoney was driving a pick up truck and hit a school bus that was very poorly designed. Not sure he deserved the death penalty because he didn't plan or intentionally mean to kill anyone, but he should of served more time in prison.

 

[kyeric]

Such an incredibly simple view of a very complex set of circumstance.

I'm confused as to what is so complex?

1. guy gets drunk (enough to drive on the wrong side of the interstate)
2. said guy hits bus full of students and chaperones
3. 20+ people die as a result of said crash
4. guy serves less than 10yrs of what should be been a MUCH longer sentence
5. to my knowledge, which i will admit isn't a lot, he, given the somewhat unenviable platform he has been given, has done nothing

I'm not trying to be a turd, but please tell me where the complexities are that i'm overlooking.

 

[GrandePdre]

I was on a bus coming back from King's Island that same night as they were on our Senior Trip. They were just ahead of us by about an hour. I still remember our bus having to be re-routed off I-71 and not knowing why until the next day. My future wife was on a different bus from a different school that night, too. Same story as me.

It's crazy how fate can be in life.

 

[BigBlueDave_rivals76951]

I'm confused as to what is so complex?

1. guy gets drunk (enough to drive on the wrong side of the interstate)
2. said guy hits bus full of students and chaperones
3. 20+ people die as a result of said crash
4. guy serves less than 10yrs of what should be been a MUCH longer sentence
5. to my knowledge, which i will admit isn't a lot, he, given the somewhat unenviable platform he has been given, has done nothing

I'm not trying to be a turd, but please tell me where the complexities are that i'm overlooking.

You are judging a sentence given 35 years ago to what would happen today.


In the late '70s, I had a close family member(was a pedestrian) killed by a drunk driver in the middle of the day. It wasn't just a clip. It was hitting square at 60 mph. On top of that, he fled, hit and run.


That man served the six months before the trial and one year after. Times change. Sentencing changes.

That man, though, suffered. The man wasn't a psychopath. If you haven't been desensitized, you still have a conscience. His mind was his prison. His life was for **** after and he is no longer himself with us.


That crash is a big reason for tougher sentencing.