SchoolBus logo in red and orange
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

February 2024: SBF Incident and Crime Report Roundup

A roundup of news about recent incidents involving school buses, including a woman arrested for hitting a student crossing the street to load a school bus, a bus driver accused of attempting to meet a teen for inappropriate activities, and more.

Christy Grimes
Christy GrimesFormer Senior Editor
Read Christy's Posts
February 27, 2024
February 2024: SBF Incident and Crime Report Roundup

School Bus Fleet's crime and incident report roundups include recent headlines involving school buses.

Photo: Canva/School Bus Fleet

5 min to read


Crimes involving school buses are making headlines across America. School Bus Fleet has a roundup of recent criminal incidents, including:

  • Woman arrested, accused of hitting student walking to school bus in Georgia.

  • Utah school bus driver arrested after reportedly trying to meet teen for sex.

  • Connecticut bus driver arrested after alleged physical altercation with student.

  • Two women arrested after reportedly fighting student on North Carolina school bus.

Ad Loading...

Woman Arrested, Accused of Hitting Student Walking to School Bus in Georgia

A woman was arrested after authorities said she attempted to pass a stopped school bus and hit and killed an 8-year-old girl walking across a two-lane street to get on a Henry County (Ga.) school bus on Feb. 1.

Kaylee Andre was charged with vehicular homicide in the crash, 11 Alive Atlanta reported. She is accused of fatally striking Adalynn Pierce.

State troopers said the bus was stopped with red flashing lights, and its stop sign was activated at the front and rear.

Kaylee Andre is accused of hitting and killing an 8-year-old when she attempted to pass a stopped school bus.

Photo: Henry County Sheriff's Office

Adalynn's mom, Ashley, spoke with 11 Alive Atlanta after the crash, saying she forgives Andre, noting that Adalynn herself would've given her grace. The mother said that Andre stayed at the crash scene and apologized profusely. 

Adalynn's organs were donated, with doctors telling her mother that more than 70 children will benefit from the donation.

Ad Loading...

On Feb. 20, Ashley joined State Sen. Rick Williams at the state capitol, advocating for the passage of Addy's Law, named in memory of her daughter. The law would mandate that any bus stop be located on the same side of the street as the entrance or exit of a school bus, 11 Alive reported.

A committee member pointed out this could lead to longer school bus routes. Instead of putting the bill up for a vote, it was sent to a planning and research committee.

A Change.Org petition for Addy's Law has garnered nearly 20,000 signatures as of Feb. 26.

Utah School Bus Driver Arrested After Reportedly Trying to Meet Teen for Sex

A school bus driver was arrested outside a Farmington (Utah) school after discovering a teen he was reportedly trying to meet with for sex was an FBI agent.

Davis School District bus driver Jordan Lee Chase was booked into the Davis County Jail for investigation of enticing a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, and 10 counts of dealing in materials harmful to minors, KSL reported.

Ad Loading...

Investigator Bryan Purdy said Chase had just dropped off a sports team at a school.

Working for the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force, Purdy said he posed as a 13-year-old girl online and began receiving messages from Chase in August 2023. Authorities said Chase identified himself as a 30-year-old male and was told the female's age was 13-years-old on numerous occasions.

Chase is accused of sending more than 10 explicit videos and photos of himself over the course of several months.

Chase, who started driving a school bus in Oct. 2020, made arrangements to meet the girl after dropping off the visiting team at the school. He was observed driving by the school multiple times in his personal vehicle in an attempt to locate the minor, KSL reported, citing the police booking affidavit.

The school district released a statement, saying that it was shocked by the arrest and that the alleged behavior is counter to "everything the district represents."

Ad Loading...

Connecticut Bus Driver Arrested after Alleged Physical Altercation with Student

Bergeline Mesidor is accused of pulling a boy out of his seat and dragging him to another seat.

Photo: New London County Sheriff's Office

A Salem (Conn.) bus driver was arrested after allegedly pullling a 9-year-old boy out of his seat and dragging him to another seat outside an elementary school on Jan. 5. The driver was transporting students to a nearby daycare when the incident happened.

According to the Hartford Courant, 47-year-old Bergeline Mesidor was arrested on Feb. 8 by Connecticut State Police, charged with risk of injury to a minor and breach of peace.

Fox 61 reported that the boy told his mother he and a friend were playing by hitting each other's hat when Mesidor reportedly grabbed him by his book bag, dragged him on the floor toward the front of the bus, and sat him down in a different seat. Other students corroborated the story.

Mesidor told authorities that the only contact she had with the boy was verbal. Police said they reviewed surveillance footage, which only showed the drive from the school to daycare without incident. Video from outside the school where the student was picked up did not match Mesidor's story to police.

Salem School District Superintendent Brian Hendrickson released a statement, saying student safety is top priority, and that Mesidor was placed on leave by the district's provider. According to the district website, M&J Bus, Inc. provides student transportation for the Salem School District.

Ad Loading...

Mesidor is due to face a judge in April.

Two Women Arrested After Reportedly Fighting Student on North Carolina School Bus

Octavia McRae is accused of entering a school bus and physically assaulting and threatening a student.

Photo: Randolph County Sheriff's Office

Two women were arrested, accused of assaulting and threatening a student aboard a school bus in Randolph County (N.C.) school bus.

Authorities with the Randolph County Sheriff's Office told WFMY that three women boarded a school bus carrying students from Southeastern Randolph Middle School on Feb. 6 while the bus was at a bus stop. At least one of the adults is accused of physically assaulting and threatening a female student.

Octavia McRae and Shenequa Watkins were both charged with misdemeanor trespass/impeding a school bus and misdemeanor disorderly conduct on a school bus. McRae was also charged with misdemeanor simple assault. Charges were pending for the third adult.

Shenequa Watkins is accused of entering a school bus with two other women. One of the three reportedly physically assaulted and threatened a student.

Photo: Randolph County Sheriff's Office

The Randolph County School System released a statement after the alleged incident, saying the middle school administration was working with school system leadership and law enforcement to address the incident.

Ad Loading...

It's unclear what led to the alleged assault.

Did You Miss Last Month's Crime and Incident Report Roundup? Read it here.

More Safety

Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Transportant stop arm camera shown on an orange “new product” graphic with School Bus Fleet branding.
SafetyJanuary 20, 2026

Transportant Debuts First Full-Color Stop Arm Camera for School Buses

Transportant introduced a next-generation stop arm camera designed to improve image quality and reliability for documenting illegal school bus passings.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 19, 2026

3 New Ways Fleet Software Pays: ROI opportunities for modern fleet managers

Keeping buses safe, reliable, and on schedule requires more than manual processes. This eBook explores how modern fleet software supports school transportation teams with automated maintenance scheduling, smarter video safety tools, and integrated data systems. Discover practical ways fleets are reducing breakdowns, improving safety, and saving valuable staff time.

Read More →
An image of a student with a backpack walking with text reading "Walking School Bus: Grant Fuels Safer Pedestrian Routes to School in New Mexico."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 15, 2026

New Mexico District Receives $2.7M Grant to Expand Walking School Bus Programs

See how a federal grant will help Albuquerque Public Schools expand supervised walking routes and improve student safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration showing a school bus with a standard stop arm and a deployed retractable safety barrier extending across the roadway to block passing vehicles.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 13, 2026

Florida Inventor Creates Retractable 10-Foot Stop-Arm

A newly developed school bus safety device introduces a retractable barrier designed to deter illegal passing during student loading and unloading.

Read More →