By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The man who caused a serious injury school bus crash on Interstate 10 in Marana last year has been sentenced.
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Nicolas Luis Rodriguez was handed a seven-year prison sentence on Monday, June 15. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault resulting in serious physical injury, one count of criminal damage, and one count of driving while impaired to the slightest degree.
Rodriguez was also ordered to pay nearly $180,000 in restitution to the victims.
According to the interim complaint, Rodriguez was on Interstate 10 eastbound when he changed lanes suddenly and hit a bus from the Kingman Unified School District on April 1, 2025.
The impact knocked the bus out of its lane and onto the shoulder. The bus overcorrected, went into the median, and fell on its side.
Rodriguez tested positive for marijuana, according to the Arizona DPS.
Three students from Kingman and Lee Williams high schools were seriously hurt. One suffered a left-hand amputation, one suffered a deep laceration, and another suffered severe soft tissue, bone, and ligament damage.
Bobby Liberto was the student who lost every finger on his left hand except his thumb. xxx
Bobby’s mother, Shelley, said doctors don’t think he’ll ever be able to use that thumb.
“He is unable to work and fully participate in normal daily activities,” she said earlier this year.
Doctors had to amputate four fingers from Bobby’s left hand after the crash. Shelley said the road to recovery has been difficult for Bobby and for her as a mother.
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Goran Mitic told 13 News he was headed back up to Phoenix when he saw the traffic slow and dust go up everywhere, just about 100 feet ahead of him.
He said that was when he pulled over and got out. He and others immediately started to help the victims out of the bus.
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Mitic explained many of the students were in shock – others he said, were still trapped in the bus.
He said he called 911 and offered his phone to students to call their parents.
“I think everyone wants to stop and help, but I think some people figure they can’t help,” Mitic said. “Maybe moving on is the best way so that first responders can get through.”
Michael Mireles was on her way home to Austin when she saw the arrest.
“I did see them arresting somebody in a red shirt,” Mireles said. “And they did take him to the other side of the freeway, so I guess going towards Phoenix.”
The bus was carrying at least 35 students and five adults — the bus driver and four chaperones.
Three students and one adult from the bus were transported to a local hospital in critical condition, according to Arizona DPS.
DPS Capt. Tim Wiedemann told 13 News that major incidents like this are always difficult.
“Just the worst thing. Small kids, small children. And you know it’s high school kids, it doesn’t make it any better,” Wiedemann said. “Whenever you come to these types of calls with children, it makes it worse.”
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