Police Investigate Incident On School Bus

Friday, March 2nd 2007, 8:36 pm

By: News On 6

A Broken Arrow school bus driver broke up a fight on the way to school Friday morning, but it wasn't between two students. During a routine stop to pick up students the bus driver says a parent hopped on the bus and slapped another child. News on 6 anchor Omar Villafranca reports Broken Arrow police are still investigating, and the womanâ€™s penalty could mean more than a trip to the principal's office.

Indian Springs apartments is one of the last stops on the way to the elementary school. One of the last passengers picked up was not a student, but a mother dropping off her four kids.

"In that moment, the parent entered the bus, stopped for a second, and made a beeline for a student who was not her child and struck the child," said Broken Arrow Schools spokesman Keith Isbell.

Isbell says the bus driver yelled at the woman and quickly called for police. An on-board camera captured the whole incident.

"It's going to basically be all the evidence to obtain,â€ Major Mark Irwin with the Broken Arrow Police Department said. â€œWith so many conflicting stories on what took place, the evidence from the video surveillance, that'll be the best thing for the case."

One investigator says this sounds like a case of a parent confronting her child's bully.

"It's considered an assault and battery,â€ Irwin said. â€œYou cannot admonish or scold another person's child unless you've been placed in a custodial, whether it's a relative, or just someone taking care of the children."

The woman was not arrested. Police and Broken Arrow school officials say parents should think twice before striking someone elseâ€™s child.

"First and foremost, I think you should talk with the parents of the bully. See if they can work out some type of agreement,â€ said Irwin. â€œIf that doesn't work, certainly contact the school administration or contact the police department if it rises to the level of criminal activity."

Police will analyze the video from the bus on Monday before they file any charges. Broken Arrow school officials say the woman might be banned from coming on school property.