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Jury Deliberations Expected To Begin In Trial Of Ophadell Williams

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Jury deliberations are expected to begin Tuesday in the trial of a bus driver accused of a deadly crash in the Bronx.

Ophadell Williams pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the March 12, 2011, crash.

Williams was driving a tour bus on a return trip to Chinatown from a Connecticut casino when the bus overturned and slammed into a pole on Interstate 95. The impact of the crash peeled off the roof of the bus, killing 15 passengers and injuring 18 more.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in June that the accident was probably caused by driver fatigue and a bus company that provided too little safety oversight. It stopped short of saying Williams had fallen asleep.

Prosecutors said Williams had been driving recklessly and speeding nearly 30 miles over the limit.

The defense claims he was cut off by a tractor-trailer.

If convicted, Williams could get up to 15 years in prison.

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