October 31st, 2012
Reports of Armed Bus Driver Found to be False
Case: 12-83219
Date: October, 31st, 2012
Time: 3:30PM
Location: Silverstone Subdivision (W. Division St)
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A frightening situation on a school bus about an armed bus driver in Mt. Juliet turned out to be false. Mt. Juliet Police officers quickly responded to a 911 call of an armed bus driver on a Wilson County School Bus around 3:30PM this afternoon. Once arriving on the scene, officers noticed multiple students in a nearby field who were upset and scared. The bus driver was located, and the scene was rapidly cleared by officers to ensure all children were safe.
The initial investigation revealed that the 60-year-old male bus driver, who is a substitute driver and unfamiliar with the bus route, missed a stop for a student. This caused multiple children on the bus to become belligerent where they became very loud and unruly. In an attempt to calm to children, the bus driver pulled over in a safe location hoping they would stop screaming. A parent of a student arrived where the bus was parked, and a 14-year-old male student attempted to exit the bus. While trying to exit, there was an altercation between the student and driver. The student eventually exited, but he tried to reenter to retrieve a backpack. During reentry, it was alleged that the student had his forearm shut in the bus door. This caused the parent and bus driver to argue. During the commotion, an unknown person mentioned that the bus driver was armed. That allegation frightened the other students, and they began to flee from the bus to a nearby field. The parent called 911 once there was a mention of a gun. Then, officers quickly arrived on the scene to secure the children and clear the area for a possible armed person.
After the incident, it was determined that all students were safe. The Wilson County School District was very responsive and members of the police department maintained constant communication with their leadership throughout the entire situation. Another bus with a different driver arrived on the scene to transport the students to their destinations. The bus route was #1107 with students from Mt. Juliet Middle School. There were 49 students onboard the bus during the incident. Most of the students reside in the Hickory Hills subdivision. The school system should be applauded for their quick response to ensure a successful outcome. Parents who arrived on the scene were also very cooperative, and the Mt. Juliet Police Department appreciates their understanding of this incident.
Investigators have reviewed the surveillance camera video from the bus, and It was determined that the bus driver did not do anything unlawful. The investigation continues into possible unruly charges for certain students onboard on the bus. It appears that this situation was extremely blown out of proportion by a few students, which caused the other students to become frightened.
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Contact: Sgt. Chandler, Community Policing Director/PIO
Phone: (615) 773-6260 E-Mail: tchandler@cityofmtjuliet.org
If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Sgt. Chandler at (615) 773-6260 or email at tchandler@cityofmtjuliet.org