PEMBROKE, N.Y. — More than six months after a tour bus crash on the New York State Thruway claimed five lives, the driver, Bin Shao, has been indicted on homicide charges. Shao, 56, of Flushing, New York, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, according to court documents filed in Genesee County Court.
The charges stem from the August 22, 2025, crash in Pembroke, New York, where a bus traveling from Niagara Falls toward New York City lost control, ultimately rolling over. Five people died as a result of the accident, and dozens more were injured. Shao was arrested Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court appearance Friday, according to officials.
“There’s no evidence of driver alcohol impairment,” Genesee County District Attorney Kevin Finnell stated at a news conference Friday. “The charges stem from the decisions made and the actions taken by Mr. Shao as the operator of the bus on the New York State Thruway in Pembroke.” When pressed for specifics regarding those alleged actions, Finnell declined to comment further.
The bus, operated by M&. Y Tour Inc., carried 54 passengers, many of whom were of Indian, Chinese, and Filipino descent, authorities said. The victims have been identified as Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, a Columbia University student from Beijing; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, both of Jersey City.
Initial investigations by New York State Police ruled out mechanical failure and driver impairment as causes of the crash, leaving investigators to focus on the driver’s actions. The investigation has been ongoing since the incident, with authorities meticulously reviewing evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Bail for Shao has been set at $100,000 cash, $200,000 insured bond, or $400,000 for a partially secured surety bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 9, according to online court records.