BUS DRIVER FIRED and Charged For Brake Checking Unruly Kids Who Refused To Sit In Their Seats!
BUS DRIVER FIRED and Charged For Brake Checking Unruly Kids Who Refused To Sit In Their Seats!
Bus driver, Brian Fitzgerald is in big trouble!
A shocking video has surfaced depicting a Colorado school bus driver deliberately hitting the brakes to discipline children who were not seated properly.
The video, initially released by KRDO, shows the moment when students from Castle Rock Elementary School in Colorado Springs were thrust forward, their faces colliding with the seatbacks in front of them, on March 1.
Brian Fitzgerald, 61, a substitute bus driver responsible for taking students from kindergarten to sixth grade back home after school, is captured in the video scolding the students before abruptly stopping the bus.
@nbcnews A former #Colorado school bus driver is facing 30 misdemeanor child abuse charges for an incident caught on camera showing him intentionally slamming on the brakes.
Fitzgerald is heard admonishing the young riders, saying, “You guys need to be in your seats,” followed by a warning: “You guys want to see how dangerous that is?”
Fitzgerald subsequently hit the brakes while traveling at 9 mph, leading to cries of “Ow! Oh, my God!” from the children.
He then addressed the students, stating, “Did you get that? That’s why you need to be in your seat, turn around and sit down properly.”
One child is overheard questioning, “Why would he do that?”
Subsequently, a girl at the rear of the bus calls a parent to report the driver’s behavior, revealing it caused a peer to bleed from the cheek.
Upon alighting from the bus, this girl broke down crying. Her father, who was there to collect her, confronted Fitzgerald, indicating his daughter was injured and advised him to “go easy on the brakes.”
In the footage, Fitzgerald attempts to justify his actions, alleging the children were “running all over the place,” an assertion strongly refuted by several of the students.
Fitzgerald seemingly acknowledged the deliberate act, informing the parent, “I was coming to a stop and I hit the brakes hard because they were not listening.”
Lauren Thomason, a mother, shared that her fourth-grade son, who rode the bus under Fitzgerald’s supervision that day, returned home trembling and in tears.
“He just said, ‘The bus driver… he hit the brakes, and I hit my head, and my friend, he’s bleeding,’” Thomason recounted.
She expressed particular concern for her son, noting he had recently recovered from a concussion caused by a fall on ice.
Following several complaints from parents, the Douglas County School District removed Fitzgerald from driving duties to carry out an internal probe, which confirmed he had indeed performed a brake check on the students.
Fitzgerald, who joined the school district in October 2022, was navigating a general education bus solo for the first time on March 1 after completing his training, as reported by KRDO.
In a letter to school authorities, Fitzgerald defended his actions, attributing them to the “unruly” behavior of children who wouldn’t remain seated, and cited “a historical pattern of improper student management” on that bus route.
Nevertheless, he expressed regret in his letter, acknowledging his responsibility for the incident.
“I am still 100% responsible for my actions in attempting to both educate and control students on the bus,” Fitzgerald admitted. “As a new driver, my decision-making was flawed, and given the chance, I would reconsider my choices.”
Fitzgerald has been terminated from his position and is facing 30 misdemeanor child abuse charges, including one count of child abuse resulting in bodily harm, potentially leading to nearly a year of incarceration.
He is scheduled for his initial court appearance in May.
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