October 27, 2007

Bus Driver's Behavior Raises Question

HARRINGTON, Del.- Parents still have very few answers about a "scary" bus ride their children took home from school on Thursday afternoon.

Parents say they became worried when their children on Bus #14 didn't get dropped off at their bus stop at their normal time. The students attend W.T. Chipman Middle School in the Lake Forest School District.

One parent says when she found the bus three miles away from the bus stop, there were a bunch of police cars surrounding it and a lot of upset children. She describes the scene as "chaos."

Some students say the bus driver allegedly refused to stop the bus or let the students get off.

Carmen Gallagher has a 7th grader at Chipman. She says she wants to know what happened. Gallagher says it was a very scary feeling when the bus didn't show up.

"Something, something's not right...the bus isn't here. Where's the bus?" Gallapher said. "And that was the worst part, just not even knowing where the bus was or if the kids were ok, or what was going on. We were not notified by the school."

Harrington police say an investigation is ongoing. Officers say there was a surveillance camera on the bus that has been turned over the State Attorney General's office.

Police and the Attorney General's office had no further comment.

Friday afternoon, students took home a letter from Lake Forest School District Transportation supervisor William Morris.

It says, "the incident on Bus # 14 is being investigated by the Harrington Police." It also says the surveillance video is being "reviewed for both driver and student conduct." And, that the results "will be shared at the conclusion of the investigation."

The subject of the letter refers to a "Change of Bus Assignment."