LAPLACE — Charges continue to mount for Denis Yasmir Amaya Rodriguez, the bus driver in Sunday’s fatal wreck that involved four vehicles, injured dozens and resulted in the deaths of two people, including St. John Fire Department District Chief Spencer Chauvin.

Rodriguez is being held in St. John the Baptist Parish under a bond that exceeds $1 million. When the week began, his charges included two counts of negligent homicide, driver must be licensed, reckless operation of a vehicle, negligent injuring and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detainer.

Louisiana State Police Spokeswoman Melissa Matey said the investigation into Sunday’s wreck is ongoing with more charges nearly guaranteed.

“The charges that we know are going to be forthcoming are additional injury charges, which will be the negligent injury charges,” she said. “Once we get a final count on exactly how many were injured and the extent of their injuries, those charges will be out on him after that.”

State Police are being joined by Homeland Security Investigations of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement because authorities determined Rodriguez is an illegal alien from Honduras who does not have a driver’s license.

The owner of the bus he was driving Sunday is Kristina’s Transpor-tation Party Bus out of Jefferson.

“We’re still looking at the bus company,” Matey said. “We’re looking at why an illegal and unlicensed driver was behind the wheel of that bus. Those are circumstances we are still looking into.”

Matey said the result of the bus investigation could lead to more arrests, adding no timetable is being placed on the investigation’s completion.

Specially trained state troopers in commercial motor vehicles and safety standards are inspecting the bus to find out if there were any mechanical failures. Matey said it is not known at what speed the bus was traveling when it barreled into an active crash scene Sunday, beginning a deadly chain reaction on Interstate 10 Westbound near LaPlace.

The crash scene

Louisiana State Police Troop B began investigating a single car, minor injury crash on I-10 west at mile post 203 at approximately 6:40 a.m. Sunday, determining a 2005 Nissan Titan, driven by 30-year-old Javontris Lawson of Marrero, was traveling too fast for road conditions and lost control, striking the left guardrail.

The Titan then crossed the left and right lanes and struck the right guardrail before coming to rest across the right lane and right shoulder. Lawson and his passenger, 37-year-old Bryan Hill of Kenner suffered minor injuries.

Louisiana State Police and St. John the Baptist Fire Department personnel — including Spencer Chauvin, William “Mack” Beal and Nicholas Saale — responded to the initial scene.

A fire truck blocked the right lane, and a Trooper’s unit was just ahead of the fire truck with emergency lights activated. Chauvin, Beal and Saale were standing near the right guardrail between the Trooper’s unit and the Titan, assisting with the minor injuries and the investigation when a 2002 Eldorado National private party bus traveling at a high rate of speed west on I-10 in the left lane approached at approximately 7:17 a.m.

The bus, driven by Rodriguez, struck the left side of the fire truck that was angled in the right lane and then struck the rear of a 2012 Toyota Camry, which was pushed into the rear of a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado and flatbed trailer.

The bus veered into the right lane between the Trooper unit and the Titan and struck the three firefighters that were standing near the guardrail.

The firefighters were thrown over the edge of the elevated interstate into the water below, approximately 30-40 feet.

Chauvin was transported to Ochsner Medical Complex – River Parishes, where he was pronounced dead.

Beal, 35, of Gonzales was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries and Saale, 32, of Ponchatoula, was airlifted to University Medical Center Level 1 Trauma Center with critical injuries.

Beal has been released, and authorities said Saale would recover.

More wreckage

The Camry was driven by 35-year-old Marcus Tate of Moss Point, Miss. Tate suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.

The Camry’s front seat passenger, Vontravous Kelly, and rear seat passenger, David Jones, both of Moss Point were taken to University Medical Center.

Kelly is in critical condition and Jones is in serious condition. The other rear seat passenger, Jermaine Starr, 21, was pronounced dead on the scene.

The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado was identified as 48-year-old Emiliano Acosta of Kenner. The front seat passenger was 50-year-old Solma Almendarez of Kenner. Three rear seat passengers, including 30-year-old Jenyfer Espinal of Kenner, and two 10-year-old juveniles were taken to local hospitals with minor to moderate injuries.

More than 20 individuals have been identified as passengers on the bus. They were transported to local hospitals with minor to moderate injuries.

Colonel Mike Edmonson, Louisiana State Police Superintendent, described Sunday’s crashes and their deadly results as a “very sad day” for all Louisiana first responders.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the St. John the Baptist Fire Department,” he said. “Louisiana has the ‘Move Over’ law in place to protect our first responders on our roadways. Please adhere to this law and slow down when approaching emergency vehicles and disabled vehicles on the road.”