This browser does not support the Video element.
Settlement after boy killed in bus accident
The attorney for the family of Finn Katona, the boy killed in a Sussex school bus accident, announced the creation of "Finn's Rule" and a settlement.
MILWAUKEE - The attorney representing the family of Finn Katona, the 5-year-old boy killed in a Sussex school bus accident last year, announced the creation of "Finn's Rule" and said a "confidential" monetary settlement has been reached.
Finn's Rule
What they're saying:
Finn's Rule will distribute cards to bus drivers across the country as part of a training, attorney Timothy Trecek said Wednesday. It was negotiated as part of the settlement with the potential defendants.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
The initiative will include enhanced safety training for all Student Transportation of America bus drivers and will share information with a number of other school bus companies. Trecek said it could reach 130,000 school bus drivers.
Drivers will also receive a laminated card that shows the 5-year-old's face and reminds drivers to count kids, be aware of danger zones and blind spots, and expect the unexpected.
Finn Katona (Courtesy of the Katona family)
"Finn's Rule stands as a legacy, ensuring that Finn's life continues to make a difference. A difference of unimaginable importance of preventing any other little boy or little girl from senseless death at the hands of a school bus," said Trecek.
The attorney said Finn's Rule will probably go into effect in late fall of the next school year.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
In a statement Wednesday, Hamilton School District Superintendent Paul Mielke said:
"Our community continues to grieve the loss of young Finn Katona. His death forever changed our entire school district. Our thoughts remain with Finn’s family, friends and all those impacted by the tragic accident. We remain committed to supporting and caring for one another."
This browser does not support the Video element.
'Finn's Rule' settlement in bus accident death
The legal team for the family of Finn Katona, the 5-year-old boy killed in a Sussex school bus accident last year, announced the creation of "Finn's Rule" and said a "confidential" monetary settlement has been reached in the case.
Sussex school bus accident
The backstory:
Investigators said Finn Katona fell beneath a school bus just as the driver began pulling away outside Silver Spring Intermediate School on Jan. 2, 2025.
An 86-page report found Katona accidentally stepped off the sidewalk, his backpack pulling him to the ground, and fell in front of the bus’s rear driver-side tire. The driver began to move forward almost simultaneously, and over the child’s body. Video showed the entire incident, which investigators said did not involve horseplay or other students.
Fatal Sussex school bus accident; parents share new video, push for change
New video shows 5-year-old Finn Katona moments before he was fatally struck by a school bus in Sussex back in January.
The medical examiner determined Katona died of "craniocerebral injuries" and that the manner of death was "accidental."
Upon completing its investigation, the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department concluded no charges or citations would be issued.
The Source: FOX6 News attended Wednesday's news conference and referenced prior coverage.