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SEARCHIn the wake of the Rockland student's death, RSU 13 classes were cancelled. Meanwhile, both the student and the driver's name have been released.
Brayden Callahan attended Oceanside Middle School in Thomaston, Maine.
Photo: School Bus Fleet
Last Friday, Nov. 21, a Regional School Unit 13 student was fatally struck by his school bus.
The Rockland, Maine, district cancelled classes on Monday and Tuesday this week, though select schools were open certain hours to help students and community members process the tragedy.
The 12-year-old boy has been identified as Brayden Callahan by his grandmother
The collision occurred around 2:20 p.m. at the intersection of Broadway and Eliza Steele Drive in Rockland, local outlets reported. The boy's neighbor witnessed the collision and rushed to help.
An initial NTSB report says that Callahan was at the front right corner of the bus, in the marked crosswalk, as the bus began to move forward and hit the boy. He fell to the ground and was run over by the bus.
After the accident, he was taken to Pen Bay Hospital, then flown to Maine Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, where he died, according to police and news reports.
The bus driver, 65-year-old bus driver Jeffrey Colburn, has been removed from duty as the investigation continues. He was arrested on Jan. 15 and charged with manslaughter, pleading not guilty to the charge.
According to The Maine Wire, "Public records indicate Colburn was convicted of operating under the influence in June 2015 and had his license suspended for 150 days. Under Maine law at the time, that conviction would have prohibited him from driving a school bus for 10 years. He was also involved in a crash between a school bus he was driving and an automobile earlier this year, reports indicate."
Another local report alleges that other parents voiced issues related to the driver. Police say the district is fully cooperating with the investigation.
A GoFundMe has been established to help with funeral costs as his family grieves the loss and the community remembers Brayden.
Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Nov. 25, 2025, and updated on Jan. 21, 2026, as new details emerged from NTSB's report and the driver's charges.
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