By John Dobberstein, Editor
Police arrested a bus driver for the Broken Arrow Public Schools on criminal charges after an incident involving students Friday.
Broken Arrow police were dispatched to the 800 block of Albany Street Friday and were met by the bus driver, several parents and students who were involved.
Police said the bus driver, 68-year-old Thomas Young, had stopped the bus and would not students off the bus with their legal guardians.
After several passengers began to exit the bus through emergency exits, the bus driver relocated the bus to an adjacent business parking lot as passengers attempted to exit.
Young was arrested on charges of child endangerment and kidnapping. BAPS confirmed Young is no longer employed by the district.
“Safety is our top priority, and the district will take swift action to remove any employees who jeopardize the safety of our students,” said BAPS Chief Communications Officer Tara Thompson.
“District officials are cooperating with Broken Arrow Police Department in their investigation and will be updating parents as appropriate this week.”
Thompson noted all district employees must submit to and pass a background check as a condition of employment, and Young did pass the check, “as well as all of the physical standards needed to drive a bus in the state of Oklahoma.”
“At this time, investigators are contacting families of students who were involved,” the police department said in a statement.
BAPD is asking those who had a child involved in this incident to contact the police department
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