Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010

Bus driver charged in biker's death

Police have charged an Horry County school bus driver with failing to yield right-of-way in a collision with a motorcycle that left a local high school student dead, according to authorities.

Michael Joseph Burns, 77, was charged Friday with failure to yield right-of-way in connection with the Nov. 2 crash where 18-year-old Marc Chaplin died, said Lance Cpl. Sonny Collins with the S.C. Highway Patrol.

Burns is set to appear in traffic court on March 3, and on Tuesday he said he couldn't comment about the case and that he'd been instructed to refer everything to the school. He said he has not spoken with an attorney yet.

Burns is on administrative leave with pay until the matter is resolved, said Teal Britton, spokeswoman with Horry County Schools.

Chaplin was a senior at the Academy of Arts, Sciences and Technology and was on his way to the school on International Drive when he was killed. The crash happened about 8:10 a.m. as the bus driven by Burns turned on to the northbound S.C. 31 ramp at Robert Grissom Parkway, according to authorities.

No students were on the bus at the time of the crash. Authorities said the crash happened as Burns was returning to North Myrtle Beach High School after dropping students off at the academy.

Burns has driven for the school district for four years and was treated at the scene when the crash occurred.