A Colorado school bus driver is facing 30 child abuse charges after he intentionally slammed on the brakes in an attempt to “educate” and “control the students” who were riding the bus, KRDO reported.
Video shows the students’ faces hitting the seats in front of them as the driver hit the brakes. The incident took place on March 1, 2023, as students from Castle Rock Elementary School were riding the bus home.
Brian Fitzgerald, 61, told Douglas County School District officials he was sorry for his actions, but defended himself by claiming he was trying to teach the students a lesson.
“You guys want to see how dangerous that is?” Fitzgerald can be heard saying in security video of the incident.
“Did you get that? That’s why you need to be in your seat. Turn around and sit down properly,” he says. “If you guys can’t do that you will get written up. Do you get that?”
One of the students on the bus, which carried children ranging from kindergarten to 6th grade, called her parents and informed them of what happened.
“Um, the bus driver hit the brakes, and somebody got hurt so badly and is like bleeding on the cheek. We tell the bus driver, but he no care,” she told her parents.
Watch the video below:
