LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — Three adults are facing criminal charges following an incident involving a Georgia school bus and children.
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The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office said investigators have completed an initial review of what happened after the bus, carrying students from Cottrell Elementary School, stopped in the Highland Trace Apartments area on Monday.
The investigation began after deputies responded to a report of a disturbance aboard the bus during its afternoon route.
Investigators reviewed camera footage from inside the bus, body-worn camera video from responding deputies, videos recorded by witnesses, witness statements, school transportation policies and a recorded statement from the substitute bus driver.
The driver had about eight years of previous school-bus-driving experience, but Sept. 14 was her first day driving that particular route, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to authorities, the driver dealt with repeated behavioral issues involving students before leaving the school. An assistant principal and other school administrators boarded the bus multiple times to help with students who were allegedly yelling, fighting, moving between seats, throwing objects and refusing to follow instructions.
The LCSO said the behavior continued after the bus left the school, with the driver repeatedly stopping the bus and trying to get students to follow safety rules.
When the bus reached the first of two designated stops at the apartment complex, students assigned to that stop were allowed to leave. Deputies said another student assigned to the second stop also exited but was told by the driver to return to the bus.
The driver then tried to get the remaining students seated so the bus could continue to the next stop.
The sheriff’s office said adults approached the bus and asked that more children be released. The driver explained that those children were assigned to another stop and needed to remain seated before the bus could continue.
As more adults gathered around the bus and communicated with students through the windows, deputies said the situation escalated. The driver requested help from school-system personnel, and another bus driver entered the bus to help.
During that response, the emergency-release mechanism was activated. Investigators said a student saw how the mechanism worked and then opened the bus door.
Adults then entered the occupied bus and removed children.
Deputies also looked into allegations that the driver intentionally turned off the bus’s air conditioning and kept the children aboard in excessive heat.
The driver told investigators the air conditioning had been temporarily turned off while the bus was traveling up a steep portion of Alicia Lane because it affected the performance of the gasoline-powered bus. She said it was turned back on after the bus reached the Crown Mountain and Golden Avenue area.
The sheriff’s office said investigators found no evidence that the driver intentionally withheld air conditioning as punishment, shut off the bus engine while the children were at the apartment complex or ignored a clearly observable medical emergency.
Investigators also determined the bus remained stationary at the apartment complex for approximately 14 to 15 minutes before additional school-system assistance arrived. The available evidence did not substantiate an allegation that the children were intentionally held aboard the bus for approximately 30 minutes.
Investigators said they did not develop probable cause to charge the driver with a criminal offense.
The investigation did determine that school transportation policies require students to remain seated, follow the driver’s instructions and exit at their designated stops unless an appropriate transportation change has been authorized through the school system.
The policies reviewed by investigators did not authorize parents or other adults to enter an occupied school bus and remove children without the driver’s authorization.
On Wednesday, arrest warrants were issued for three adults involved in the incident.
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April Michelle Disspain was issued warrants for simple battery, disrupting or interfering with the operation of a public-school bus and disorderly conduct.
Authorities allege Disspain entered the occupied school bus, aggressively confronted the driver, made physical contact with her while forcing her way into the passenger compartment and removed multiple children. She is also accused of using profane language during the confrontation in the presence of children.
Tony Ray Chastain was issued warrants for disrupting or interfering with the operation of a public-school bus and disorderly conduct.
Investigators allege Chastain entered the bus, yelled and cursed at the driver, demanded that children be released and assisted or encouraged the unauthorized removal of children.
Mariah Quinones was issued a warrant for disrupting or interfering with the operation of a public-school bus.
Authorities allege Quinones entered the occupied bus and removed her child without authorization while the driver remained responsible for the students aboard.
The investigation did not establish probable cause for assault, battery, threat or disorderly-conduct charges against Quinones. Investigators also found no evidence that she physically contacted or threatened the driver.
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The sheriff’s office said school-system officials and the superintendent were consulted during the investigation and agreed with pursuing criminal charges against anyone determined to have violated the law.
Investigators obtained the complete available interior bus-camera recording through a search warrant served on the school system on Sept. 15. Deputies identified the existence of the video during the initial response but were unable to collect it at the scene. Investigators later obtained the complete available recording and said no loss of relevant bus-video evidence has been identified.
The case remains active. The sheriff’s office has subpoenaed additional school-system transportation and student records to identify the children who were on the bus, confirm their designated stops and ages, determine which children may have been removed by adults other than their legal guardians and identify additional witnesses.
The LCSO said it will continue reviewing evidence and take any additional investigative or legal action supported by the evidence.
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