Angry adults face charges after storming Georgia school bus

A substitute bus driver’s first day on a new route ended with adults forcing their way onto an occupied school bus, children being pulled off before reaching their designated stops, and three people facing criminal charges — all of it captured on camera.

The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest warrants Wednesday, three days after the Sept. 14 disturbance aboard Lumpkin County School System bus 22-36 near the Highland Trace Apartments. The warrants, issued Sept. 16 following a review of bus camera footage, body-worn camera recordings, witness statements and school transportation policies, target three adults who investigators allege entered the bus without authorization and disrupted its operation.

What the investigation found

The trouble started before the bus ever left Cottrell Elementary School. According to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, students were yelling, fighting, moving between seats, throwing objects and refusing instructions. School administrators, including an assistant principal, boarded the bus multiple times to help restore order before the afternoon route even began.

The driver — a substitute with about eight years of school bus experience, though Sept. 14 was her first day on this particular route — repeatedly stopped the bus after leaving the school in an attempt to get students to comply with safety rules.

When bus 22-36 reached the first of two designated stops at the Highland Trace Apartments, students assigned to that stop got off. One student assigned to the second stop also exited and was directed by the driver to return to the bus. The driver then attempted to get the remaining students seated before proceeding to the next stop.

That’s when adults began gathering outside.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, adults approached the bus and asked that additional children be released. The driver explained those children were assigned to a different stop and that she needed students seated before moving. As more adults gathered and communicated with students through the windows, behavior on the bus escalated further. The driver called for assistance from school system personnel.

A second bus driver responded and boarded to help. During that response, the bus’s emergency-release mechanism was activated. A student saw how it worked and opened the door. Adults then entered the bus and removed children.

Investigators determined the bus remained stationary at the apartment complex for about 14 to 15 minutes before additional school system help arrived. The Sheriff’s Office said the available evidence did not support an allegation that children were held for approximately 30 minutes, as had been claimed.

Investigators also looked into allegations that the driver intentionally turned off the air conditioning to punish students. The driver told investigators the air conditioning had been temporarily shut off while climbing a steep section of Alicia Lane because of the effect the system had on the gasoline-powered bus’s performance, and that it was turned back on after reaching the Crown Mountain and Golden Avenue area. The investigation found no evidence the driver intentionally withheld air conditioning, shut off the engine while stopped at the complex, or ignored a medical emergency. No probable cause was developed to charge the driver with a criminal offense, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The charges

Three adults were issued arrest warrants Sept. 16 after investigators consulted with the Lumpkin County District Attorney’s Office.

April Michelle Disspain faces charges of simple battery, disrupting or interfering with the operation of a public school bus, and disorderly conduct. Investigators allege Disspain entered the bus, aggressively confronted the driver, made physical contact with her while forcing her way into the passenger compartment, removed multiple children, and used profane language in front of children.

Tony Ray Chastain faces charges of disrupting or interfering with the operation of a public school bus and disorderly conduct. Investigators allege Chastain entered the bus, yelled and cursed at the driver, demanded children be released, and assisted or encouraged the unauthorized removal of children.

Mariah Quinones faces a charge of disrupting or interfering with the operation of a public school bus. Investigators allege Quinones entered the bus and removed her child without authorization while the driver remained responsible for the students on board. Investigators found no evidence Quinones physically contacted or threatened the driver, and did not establish probable cause for assault, battery, threat or disorderly conduct charges against her.

The investigation continues

The case remains active. The Sheriff’s Office has subpoenaed additional school system transportation and student records to confirm which children were on the bus, verify their designated stops, determine which children were removed by adults other than their legal guardians, and identify any additional witnesses.

School transportation policy, as reviewed by investigators, requires students to remain seated, follow the driver’s instructions, and exit only at their designated stops unless a change has been authorized through the school system. Those same policies do not authorize parents or other adults to board an occupied school bus and remove children without the driver’s permission.

The Lumpkin County School System superintendent was consulted throughout the investigation and agreed that criminal charges were appropriate for those found to be in violation of the law, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.