GREEN BAY — A 37-year-old Illinois man who crashed a charter bus in Green Bay, injuring 41 people, has not had a valid driver's license in nine years and lacked federally required insurance.
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Ghebry Figueroa made his first appearance in a Brown County courtroom Tuesday. Prosecutors say he was driving the bus without a license when it crashed.
"It appears he has 2 prior OWIs and has been convicted multiple times in the past for operating while suspended. Both his regular and commercial is revoked yet he is driving a bus full of people," a Brown County assistant district attorney said.
A representative for the Illinois Secretary of State's office confirmed Figueroa has not had a valid driver's license or commercial driver's license in nine years. Both licenses were revoked in 2017, making it illegal for him to drive any vehicle.
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Figueroa claims to own and operate Lucky Charters and Tours LLC. According to the company's website, it is a family-owned bus charter company based in Wheeling, Illinois, and claims its bus drivers are thoroughly screened, trained and reviewed.
However, the U.S. Department of Transportation's website states the company's bodily injury and property damage insurance was canceled in October of last year. Federal law requires this insurance to operate a charter bus.
Court records from Cook County, where Figueroa lives, show he has six suspended license violations, four citations for operating without insurance, and a DUI in 2024 while driving on a suspended license.
TMJ4 tried calling the Lucky Charters office Tuesday and did not hear back.
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