Police mull charges after school bus driver refuses to drop kids off
By Ross Guidotti
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CONNELLSVILLE, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — The Connellsville Area School District and its bus company are responding to an unusual incident.
Some parents are angry over a school district bus driver who refused to continue his route. The company said a district bus driver did the right thing.
“You could hear the kids screaming, ‘Help me, he won’t let us off,’” parent Erica Umensetter said.
Umensetter described the scene Thursday when parents got on the bus to grab their kids after the driver refused to complete his route and wouldn’t let them off.
“There were already a couple parents there trying by the door, trying to break the door to get these kids out,” Umensetter said.
Some of the children said the driver threatened them and turned the heat on. However, none of those claims have been substantiated.
On Friday, both the district and bus company released statements. TA Nelson Bus Lines said in part:
“The driver called dispatch concerning unruly children on the bus. The driver was instructed to pull the bus over in a safe location and wait for a representative from the school to arrive. The driver was instructed to pull the bus over in a safe location and wait for a representative from the school to arrive.”
A parent who was at the scene and had a child on the bus told KDKA-TV that even before the bus left West Crawford Elementary School, the behavior of several students forced a school staff member to board the bus and speak to some students. The mother also said her daughter does not like riding the bus because of the behavior of some students.
The bus company said it is not releasing the name of the driver and has turned over videotapes with audio. The investigation is ongoing.
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