Theresa McCloud, a 75-year-old Alabama school bus driver, faces homicide charges following a deadly 2025 collision. The grand jury indictment comes months after the crash killed 42-year-old Jennifer Leigh Cooper in Auburn, Alabama. Prosecutors charged McCloud with homicide by vehicle and criminally negligent homicide after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident. Authorities arrested her on September 3, nearly 10 months after the fatal bus crash occurred. McCloud remains at the Lee County Jail while the criminal case moves through the legal system.
The fatal bus crash happened on November 18, 2025, shortly after 8 a.m. in Auburn. Police said McCloud was driving an Auburn City School bus near East University Drive when the collision occurred. The bus struck a passenger vehicle, causing fatal injuries to Cooper, who died in the crash. Cooper was known in the community as a mother and the owner of a local bakery business. Her death has since led to both criminal proceedings against McCloud and a separate civil lawsuit filed by her family.
Following McCloud’s arrest, her family and supporters offered a different explanation for the circumstances surrounding the collision. They claim she experienced a sudden medical crisis while operating the school bus that morning. According to their account, McCloud’s blood sugar allegedly dropped to an extremely low level while she was driving. They said the episode caused confusion and eventually led to her losing consciousness behind the wheel. Her supporters also claimed she had never experienced such a severe low blood sugar episode before the incident.
However, a civil lawsuit filed by Cooper’s husband raises additional questions about McCloud’s health and medication. The lawsuit names McCloud and the Auburn City Schools Board of Education as defendants in the case. According to allegations in the complaint, McCloud had diabetes and had received prescription opiates shortly before the crash. The lawsuit further claims she informed school supervisors that she did not feel well enough to work that day. It also alleges that her medication included warnings about operating a vehicle while taking the prescribed drugs.
The complaint says McCloud nevertheless received instructions to collect elementary school students that morning. Instead, she reportedly attempted to take the students toward Auburn High School before changing her route. According to the allegations, she later left the high school and continued toward the elementary school. The lawsuit states that McCloud lost control of the bus at approximately 8:04 a.m. Investigators and attorneys will likely examine whether medical conditions, medication, or another factor contributed to the crash.
McCloud’s supporters have disputed the allegations contained in the civil lawsuit and continue to emphasize the medical-crisis explanation. They maintain that the incident resulted from an unexpected health emergency rather than intentional or reckless conduct. A fundraising campaign created on McCloud’s behalf described the alleged blood sugar episode as sudden and severe. The campaign also argued that McCloud should receive an opportunity to defend herself against the criminal allegations. The fundraising platform later removed the campaign under its rules concerning fundraising for violent-crime legal defense.
Meanwhile, Cooper’s family continues to seek accountability through the civil court process. Attorneys representing Cooper’s estate said McCloud’s arrest represents an important development in the legal proceedings. They also emphasized that the arrest cannot undo the loss suffered by Cooper’s husband, relatives, and friends. The family’s attorneys urged the community to remember the families who rely on school buses to transport children safely each morning. Their statement also highlighted the importance of ensuring that school bus drivers remain fit to operate vehicles.
The criminal case will now focus on the evidence surrounding McCloud’s actions and condition before the collision. Prosecutors will have to establish the elements required to support the homicide charges in court. Meanwhile, McCloud’s defense can challenge the allegations and present evidence supporting the claimed medical emergency. Questions about her health, medication, and ability to drive could therefore become important issues during the proceedings. The civil lawsuit may also provide additional evidence as the separate legal case develops.
McCloud remains entitled to due process as the criminal case continues through the courts. The charges represent allegations, and a court has not determined her guilt. Her supporters continue to argue that an unexpected medical episode caused the crash. Cooper’s family, meanwhile, is pursuing legal action while awaiting further developments in the criminal proceedings. The fatal bus crash has consequently created a complex legal dispute involving criminal charges, civil allegations, and competing accounts of what happened.
McCloud is currently being held on a $12,000 bond, according to information released following her arrest. The next stages of the case could provide more information about the driver’s medical condition and events leading up to the collision. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to present evidence as the legal process continues. Ultimately, the court will determine whether the evidence supports the charges brought against McCloud. Until then, the circumstances surrounding the fatal bus crash remain subject to the ongoing judicial process.
