School bus driver fends off stranger trying to enter through rear emergency exit
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GREENVILLE, Michigan (WXMI) — A school bus driver stepped up Thursday morning to stop a stranger from getting inside a bus with several students on-board.
During the drive to school on May 29, bus number 3 from the Flat River Academy in Greenville had a 17-year-old grab the rear emergency door handle while the bus was stopped at a light. When the bus started to move, the teen was able to get the door open.
The situation was recorded by Jodie Litwiller, who was pulling out of a nearby parking lot at the time.
Opening the door set off the emergency door alarm. The driver stopped the bus and ran to the back to figure out what was happening, according to the academy.
The driver confronted the teen as he was trying to climb into the bus. The driver used his foot to push the stranger out and closed the door.
A Michigan State Police trooper who was in pursuit of the teen was on the scene moments later, taking him into custody. That teen is believed to be involved in the vandalism of a nearby business.
The teen, who has autism, was experiencing a mental health crisis and was taken to the hospital for evaluation, per Michigan State Police. Investigator say the teen slipped out of his home without his family’s knowledge.
The students and staff on the bus were not injured during the event. The driver finished the route to school without further interruption.
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