(La Porte, IN) - Rich Shail, a volunteer coach and school board member seriously hurt in the New Prairie High School bus crash a month ago, said he was very happy by the judge’s decision today not to reduce bond for the man accused of causing the accident.
Shail made his way into the courtroom using a walker and wearing a back brace for a fractured vertebrae. His other injuries included fractured ribs.
“I’m elated,” said Shail.
Lucas Halderman, a member of the team suffering just minor injuries, said he also totally agreed with the judge’s decision.
“100 percent,” he said.
Shail said he came to the courtroom for personal reasons mainly to see for himself that Shawn Akison is “kept accountable for what he did to us.”
He also said it was “shocking” to learn about Akison’s extensive criminal history. In denying bond. Judge Julianne Havens cited primarily Akison's nine past mostly drug related felony convictions and 12 past misdemeanor convictions.
Akison also has a pending drug possession charge in Lake County filed after he was stopped by Indiana State Police in January for driving recklessly, according to court documents obtained in that case.
LaPorte County Police are still waiting for the results of a blood test to determine whether Akison was impaired at the time of the school bus collision.
The most seriously injured, 16 year old Lucas Bradshaw, suffered brain damage and remains at Memorial Hospital in South Bend where he recently started undergoing speech along with physical and occupational therapy.
Another coach on the team is his father, Brad Bradshaw, who was left hanging in the air by his seat belt above Shail when the bus flipped on its side.
Shail said he was trapped and not able to help Bradshaw, who asked “where’s my son? I didn’t know,” he said.
Instead of getting off the bus, Shail said another player, Andrew Enders, came over and helped lower Bradshaw safely down while making sure “he didn’t drop him on top of me. He was a hero.”
A number of fund raisers are being held in the community to help offset the ongoing medical expenses of Bradshaw, a member of 4-H and Future Farmers of America facing a long but still uncertain recovery.
“Everyone is continuing to pray for him. Of course, we want the best outcome for Lucas. We just hope everyone else heals mentally and physically,” said Shail’s wife, Nancy.
