CINCINNATI — The family of a Cincinnati city worker killed in a Metro bus crash on the Norwood Lateral is now being represented by an attorney as questions continue to surround the driver’s history behind the wheel.
Cooper Elliott is representing Shauntae Boothe, the mother of Jonathan Allen Young’s two children. The firm said it is investigating the crash, as well as Metro bus driver Kyle Taylor’s driving and hiring history.
In a statement, attorney Jeffrey Kenney said, “If the information regarding Kyle Taylor’s employment history is true, how many chances does a Metro driver get? We saw the same pattern in the Beverly Kinney case. It is appalling that another family is now paying the price for a lesson SORTA didn’t learn. Jonathan Young’s children deserve answers, and we’re going to get them.”
Young, 46, died following the July 16 crash involving a Metro bus and two City of Cincinnati vehicles on the Norwood Lateral.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, a city maintenance pickup truck towing a trailer was traveling west on the Lateral near the 1.8-mile marker. Three city employees were working on a traffic project when the Metro bus approached the city vehicle from behind.
The sheriff’s office said the bus struck the pickup truck, pushing it forward into the trailer of another city pickup truck. Young was taken to the hospital, where he later died. Another city employee was also injured.
Taylor was later charged with vehicular manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty, and a judge set his bond at $5,000 at 10%. If he posts bond, he is not allowed to drive.
Records from the Ohio Department of Public Safety show Taylor has been convicted of 12 traffic violations since 2010, including violations for speeding, failing to stay in marked lanes and failing to obey traffic signs.
Hamilton County court records also show Taylor caused a crash while driving a bus on June 17, about a month before the crash that killed Young. He received a right-of-way violation in connection with that incident.
Metro previously said Taylor was placed on administrative leave following the charges, calling it the agency’s standard practice while the matter is under investigation. Metro also offered its sympathies to Young’s family and friends.
Family remembers Young
Young worked for the City of Cincinnati’s Department of Public Services. Following his death, his cousin, Raniesha Marie, described him as a loving, caring and hardworking father who was always willing to help others.
She said Young took pride in his work, rarely missed family gatherings and was devoted to providing for his children.
City Manager Sheryl Long said after the crash that the city was “heartbroken” by the death and was providing support to employees grappling with the loss.
Cooper Elliott previously represented the family of Beverly Kinney, an 87-year-old woman who WCPO 9 reported was struck and killed by a Cincinnati Metro bus driver in 2024. That case resulted in a $10 million settlement and new training requirements for Metro drivers.
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