Bus driver in Colusa crash released

The driver of the casino-bound bus that crashed in Colusa County, killing 10 people, has been released from custody.

Quintin J. Watts violated his parole Oct. 5 by traveling more than 50 miles away from his Stockton home, authorities ruled in November.

Watts was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the parole violation. However, Watts appealed the sentence, calling it excessive, according to Gordon Hinkle, deputy press secretary for the Department of Corrections.

"Typically, a term of zero to four months is given when a parolee travels more than 50 miles from home," Hinkle said. "After deliberate and careful review, the parole board vacated their November decision for a more appropriate term."

The term was reduced to three months, and Watts was released Monday. He had been released from prison in December after serving time on a firearms conviction.

Watts was driving a private chartered bus north from Sacramento to Colusa Casino Resort when it crashed on a rural county road east of Williams, Ten people died as a result of the crash and more than 30 were injured.

Watts was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, but that allegation was later dropped after toxicology test results came back negative for drugs or alcohol.

He was taken to Deuel Vocational Institution, a state prison in Tracy, after he was released Oct. 13 from Woodland Memorial Hospital, where he had been recovering from injuries sustained in the wreck.

The California Highway Patrol said after the crash that its investigation could take months to complete. A phone call to the California Highway Patrol's Sacramento office was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Contact Rob Parsons at 458-2121 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.