Man charged with hitting bus packed with students, has arraignment hearing
Nicholas Luis Rodriguez is accused of driving under the influence and hitting a bus packed with students.
By Jafet Serrato
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MARANA, Arizona (KVOA) — A 30-year-old Marana man suspected of driving under the influence and hitting a bus packed with students appeared in Pima County Superior Court Monday afternoon.
The three minute arraignment hearing was for Nicholas Luis Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault and serious injury.
News 4 Tucson’s cameras were not allowed to roll during Monday’s arraignment hearing.
On Monday Rodriguez was wearing an orange jumpsuit, you could tell he had not shaven and he mostly kept to himself.
The judge on Rodriguez’s behalf entered a “not guilty” plea for the charges he is facing. Rodriguez was also assigned a public defender.
All of this goes back to an April 1, 2025 crash involving a school bus.
Police say both Rodriguez and the bus driver were on Interstate 10 near Tangerine Road heading towards Tucson.
Rodriguez then allegedly hit the bus causing it to roll on its side, police would later say Rodriguez showed signs of impairment during a field sobriety test.
The bus was filled with 40 people, most of them Kingman Unified School District students.
While no one died many were injured and one student had to have his left hand amputated.
Rodriguez will be back in Pima County Superior Court on May 20, 2025 for a case management conference and June 20, 2025 for a pre-trial conference.
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