Crime & Safety
Bus Driver Will Not Be Charged in Fight Between Students
The 64-year-old driver stopped the bus and called dispatch when he saw the beating but did not try to stop the fight, according to the school district.
A 64-year-old school bus driver will not face child neglect charges for allegedly failing to intervene in a student fight, according to WTSP.com.
John Moody has retired since the July 9 incident, which was caught on video. The video shows three 15-year-old boys beating a 13-year-old boy on the school bus.
Gulfport Police have charged the three older teenagers in the incident.
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Moody phoned dispatch but did not try to intervene. The victim suffered a broken arm, cuts and bruises.
According to the school district, Moody stopped the bus and called dispatch when he saw the beating.
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Prosecutors said that Moody's actions did not rise to the level of child neglect, according to WTSP.com.
According to Sgt. Thomas Woodman, the 13-year-old victim had an earlier run-in with one of the suspects who tried to sell him drugs in a restroom at the Lealman Intermediate School. The victim reported this to school officials.
According to officials, at the end of the school day, the victim and suspect rode home on the same bus, #702.
For additional coverage of the incident, see Student Robbed, Assaulted on School Bus.
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