A school bus driver is facing numerous child neglect charges after allegedly disregarding warning signals and crossing in front of an approaching train.
Yvonne Hampton, aged 67, was operating a school bus with 29 children and two adults on board when it was hit by a train on April 2. Horrifying video footage captured the children on the bus perilously close to the train tracks, with screams filling the air.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among the students and staff, as confirmed by the school district. Superintendent Logan W. Brown released a statement expressing gratitude for the safety of everyone involved. The incident is currently being investigated by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the school district.
Sheriff Breeden, in an update on Facebook, criticized the bus driver’s actions, stating that the driver’s poor decisions could have endangered the lives of 29 children and an adult. He emphasized that trains are not unpredictable and attributed the incident to the driver’s lack of judgment.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Sumter County School District are continuing their review of the incident.
