School Bus Driver Assaults Student for Using N-Word

Deputies arrested a 35-year-old school bus driver suspected of grabbing a 15-year-old boy's throat and slamming him into a window after the boy allegedly used the N-word. The victim said that he had been grabbed by the throat by the bus driver and that the bus driver slammed his head into the bus window. Investigators say that the assault was an ongoing incident between the victim and the bus driver. The bus driver spoke out Monday night, admitting that what he did was wrong, but saying the entire situation could have been prevented. Richard, who is black, said he was upset with the student, who is white, for using the N-word on the bus. Richard said he reported the student weeks earlier for using the word, but said nothing was done. On the day of the incident, according to the sheriff's office report, the victim used the N-word on the bus. Then, witnesses told deputies that Richard grabbed the student and slammed his head into the bus window. The sheriff's office says that the driver did not drop the victim at the boy's home but drove the bus back to the bus office. According to the victim and witnesses, the driver made threats of physical harm to the victim multiple times on the way back to school. A witness told deputies Richard threatened to "shoot up" the student's house and "kill his daddy." Children on the bus said a school employee was on the bus at the time of the incident. Richard has been fired from his job. read more:https://www.live5news.com/story/15981001/cops-bus-driver-arrested-after-assaulting-middle-school

Who's Responsible for School Bus Safety

After the shock of such a story begins to settle, we seek understand and prevention. Who is at fault in this school bus incident? The driver admit wrong doing in a press conference, but is there more responsibility to be taken. The school district owes the general public a duty of safe school bus transportation. It certainly did not meet that standard in this case. There are factors left un-said here. Was the school bus driver an employee of the school district or was employee by a contractor? Did he have an arrest record or history of violent behavior? Was the boys words being directed at the driver as provocation? While it doesn't excuse the driver's actions, it would affect a lawsuit's outcome. These are the questions an experience Charleston lawyer will seek in considering the validity of this potential lawsuit.

School Bus Safety Law Suits

It goes without saying there needs to be serious ramifications to help ensure this never happens again. This could turn out to be a complicated case should the boy's family choose to sue the school bus driver and or his employer.