NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A school bus driver here is accused of having attacked a middle school student last week, WAVY reports.
Police charged bus driver James Hopkins with misdemeanor assault for an altercation that happened on a Newport News Public Schools bus on March 2, according to the news source. Cell phone video sent to "10 On Your Side" by the student’s mother shows the fight.
District spokeswoman Michelle Price told WAVY that bus surveillance video shows wrongdoing on both sides; the student reportedly acted inappropriately before Hopkins pulled over and the situation escalated. Price added that the student may receive a long-term suspension, and that Hopkins had worked for the district for two years, and is now on administrative leave.
The news source also interviewed a parent who has a friend who works as a bus driver for the district. The parent said her friend reportedly had to switch routes due to unruly student behavior.
To read the full story, go here.
School Bus Driver Accused of Assaulting Student
The driver is charged with misdemeanor assault for an altercation on a Newport News (Va.) Public Schools bus. A district spokeswoman says that surveillance video shows wrongdoing on both sides.
More Management
All About Cooperative Purchasing: A Guide for School Transportation Pros
Stop bidding everything and try a simpler way. Here's how cooperative purchasing can streamline purchases while maintaining compliance. Sourcewell breaks down the process in this episode of The Route, sponsored by IC Bus.
Read More →
EverDriven Launches New School Bus Routing Services
The alternative transportation company expands its services to traditional yellow buses with the launch of a new division focused on helping school districts optimize their routes.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Joshua Roberts of First Student
Roberts, 35, serves as the lead IT application engineer for vehicle electrification at First Student, where he helps shape scalable, real-world EV infrastructure to support student transportation.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Quavion Swazer of Puyallup School District
Swazer, 29, serves as director of transportation at Puyallup School District, where he champions student wellbeing and inspires the next generation of industry leaders.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Katia Dubas of IMMI
Dubas, 38, serves as sales manager and safety advocate at IMMI, where she advances school bus occupant protection through industry education, OEM collaboration, and proactive safety policy efforts.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Eric Kramlick of TransPar
Kramlick, 30, runs operations for TransPar in Hawaii, where he also showed dedication while helping Maui recover from the recent wildfires.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Jonquez Moore of Little Elm ISD
Moore, 32, grew up around the school bus, leading him to the classroom and eventually inspiring high-performing teams while bringing operations in house (twice).
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Joshua Baran of Odyssey Charter School
Baran, 38, serves as transportation supervisor at Odyssey Charter School in Delaware, where he leads daily operations with a focus on safety and professional growth.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Tyler Maybee of Denver Public Schools
Maybee, 36, leads transportation operations for Denver Public Schools, where he is advancing equity, efficiency, and cross-department collaboration to improve student access.
Read More →
2026 Trailblazer: Lexi Higgins of TAT
Higgins, 38, serves as director of industry engagement at TAT (Truckers Against Trafficking), where she equips school transportation professionals with the tools to recognize and report human trafficking.
Read More →