Cat Tracker patient’s condition upgraded

The man injured in the Cat Tracker bus accident Nov. 18 has been upgraded to fair condition, officials at Kansas University Hospital said.

Christian Orr, 34, was critically injured when his head struck an overpass along Iowa Street while standing atop the bus for Kansas State University fans. Orr underwent brain surgery and was unconscious for a while after the accident.

John Green, 27, Shawnee, died in the accident. The Douglas County coroner said Thursday that Green died of severe trauma to the right side of his head, and alcohol is suspected to have been involved.

District Attorney Charles Branson said he was waiting on additional information from Lawrence police before considering any charges against the bus driver, Brent Simonsson, 41, Wamego.

Simonsson was operating the bus without a commercial license, and had violated a restriction on his driver’s license because of several DUI convictions.