An Auburn school bus crash that killed a local bakery owner has sparked criminal charges and a civil lawsuit, with the driver’s supporters saying she suffered a medical emergency during the collision.
Authorities said Theresa McCloud, 75, is charged with vehicular homicide and criminal negligence in connection with the Nov. 18, 2025 crash in Auburn, Alabama.
According to officials, McCloud was operating a bus for Auburn City Schools when it struck another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle, 42-year-old Jennifer Leigh Cooper, a well-known bakery owner in the community, died from her injuries.
Auburn school bus crash under scrutiny
Supporters of McCloud said she experienced a medical crisis at the time of the crash. A lawsuit filed by Cooper’s husband against McCloud and the Auburn City Schools Board of Education alleges McCloud had diabetes and had recently been prescribed opiates.
The complaint states that on the morning of the collision, McCloud told supervisors she was not feeling well. It also says she had seen a doctor two days earlier and was prescribed opiates for her symptoms, medications that carried warnings against driving while taking them.
A now-removed online fundraiser stated that McCloud’s blood sugar “suddenly dropped to 23 mg/dL while driving, causing confusion and loss of consciousness,” and claimed doctors confirmed it was a medical crisis. The page added that McCloud surrendered to authorities on Sept. 4, 2026 and began the legal process.
The lawsuit alleges McCloud lost control of the bus “based on either her known medical conditions, her use of opiates and/or a mix of both,” and contends that her diabetes and the medications “severely impaired her ability to drive any vehicle” or perform her duties. McCloud’s family disputes those allegations, according to reports.
The school district has been contacted for comment.
