Photo: James Darrell Gentry
A Boone County man, 44-year-old James Darrell Gentry of Harrison, remains jailed on a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident with injury involving a school bus, with his vehicle reportedly engulfed in flames.
According to the probable cause affidavit released Friday, law enforcement responded to the accident on Jo Saylors Road in Harrison on Feb. 19. Witnesses told a Boone County Sheriff’s officer the driver of the engulfed vehicle had fled the scene.
Two children on the bus were complaining of injuries. One complained of a minor head injury, with the second reporting stomach pain. The following day, a school official advised a third student would be examined by a physician.
Gentry turned himself in to law enforcement the next day.
During a post-Miranda interview, he reportedly said he was driving too fast on the dirt road when he crested a hill and saw the school bus. He attempted to stop his vehicle, but was unable to do so.
He said he exited his vehicle and told the bus driver to back up. He then took a piece of clothing out of the car when he noticed it was on fire and attempted to extinguish the blaze. When he saw he was unable to put out the fire, he fled the scene.
Gentry also faces misdemeanor counts of inadequate insurance during accident, reckless driving and no driver’s license. He was also cited for too fast for conditions with accident.
His bond was set at $10,000, cash only.
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