JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (Note: The video above is from October 2019.)
A former JTA bus driver accused of dragging a passenger and killing her in 2019 has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.
According to court documents, Jean Silney withdrew a not guilty plea to charges of vehicular homicide and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge Thursday.
On June 22, 2019, Silney was driving a bus when police say the victim, Jeannie Rozar, got her arm stuck in the door as she was exiting. Police found Rozar dead in the roadway in the 4500 block of Ocean Street in the Mayport area.
Police said Silney sped off with Rozar's arm trapped and ultimately ran over her. Surveillance video showed Rozar and Silney get into an argument about the bus schedule before she exited, according to police. They said Silney did not help the victim.
Rozar left behind a daughter who was 12 years old at the time of her mother's death.
Silney was fired in June 2019 but not arrested or charged with manslaughter and vehicular homicide until October of that year. That's because Rozar's death was initially ruled as an auto accident with blunt trauma impact by the medical examiner, but after reviewing surveillance video taken from the bus, police were able to determine the events leading up to the crash.
Surveillance video also reportedly showed Rozar running along the bus, screaming for Silney to open the door, police said. Silney continued to drive off, and JSO said Rozar was eventually run over by the bus.
After an investigation into the incident by JTA, Silney was fired. Documents showed Silney had been previously reprimanded and faced termination for "conduct unbecoming" in December 2018. But, he was brought back on the job in January 2019.
Silney's sentencing date will be set on April 4.