School bus driver in fatal crash case denies he was on phone

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – A Tennessee school bus driver who's charged in a wreck that killed six children has testified that he wasn't on his cellphone when the wreck happened.

Johnthony Walker also testified at his trial Wednesday in Hamilton County Criminal Court that he didn't leave his traffic lane before the Nov. 21, 2016, crash.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports jurors were returning in the afternoon for closing arguments and would then begin deliberating on the 34 charges, including vehicular homicide.

Walker said he was traveling 35 mph when he approached a curve, and another vehicle dipped into his lane.

Chattanooga police officer Joe Warren testified Tuesday that no evidence suggested the second vehicle was in Walker's lane. Warren estimated Walker was traveling 50 mph in a 30 mph zone.

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Information from: Chattanooga Times Free Press, http://www.timesfreepress.com