School Bus Driver Arrested After Dragging 5-Year-Old Boy Caught in Door

A minor suffered minor injuries after his backpack got caught in the bus. The driver faces a criminal charge and will have to appear in court.

A school bus driver was arrested in New York after a 5-year-old boy was dragged along the road when his backpack got caught in the bus door, according to a report by People.

– Why it matters: The incident left a minor injured, prompted a police investigation, and led the school district to remove the driver from transporting students.

School Bus Driver Arrested in New York

The incident occurred on Monday, November 2, in Kirkland, New York, during a school bus route home.

According to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Tasha Van Dayne, 37, stopped the vehicle to let several students off.

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As the last child was getting off, the driver closed the doors without noticing, according to the police report, that the minor’s backpack had gotten caught.

The bus started moving and dragged the boy along the road for a distance that authorities did not specify.

– The fact: The minor suffered minor injuries. Authorities did not report the exact distance the bus traveled before stopping.

Police responded to the scene after receiving a call alerting them to a student being dragged by a school vehicle.

Driver Arrested and Faces Criminal Charge

Van Dayne turned herself in to authorities on Tuesday, November 3, and was subsequently arrested, confirmed Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol.

The woman was charged with recklessly endangering another person in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor in New York.

After the procedure, authorities released her on a court summons, while the investigation into the circumstances of the incident continues.

– The process: The driver will have to appear in Kirkland Town Court on November 16 to answer to the charge.

The arrest does not equal a conviction. It will be up to the judicial system to determine her criminal responsibility as the case progresses.

School District Removes Driver After Incident with Boy

The Clinton Central School District confirmed on Tuesday that the person involved in the incident will no longer be in charge of transporting students.

Although the statement did not directly identify Van Dayne, the institution acknowledged the impact of what happened on the minors.

The district described the experience as frightening and traumatic, both for the affected boy and for the students who witnessed what happened.

– What they can do: The families of the affected students can request guidance and emotional support through the school team enabled by the district.

Education authorities also reported that they contacted the families of the students who were on that route to explain the situation.

Investigation Continues and Driver Must Appear in Court

The school district assured that student safety remains one of its main responsibilities and acknowledged the trust placed by families.

They also expressed their solidarity with the minor, his family, and the other people affected by the incident.

The police investigation remains open, and no final conclusions have been released about the circumstances that led to the boy getting caught.

What’s next: Van Dayne is scheduled to appear in court on November 16, while authorities continue to examine what happened during the school route.