Parent smashes school bus window to get child out during chaos

Man under investigation after Orlando police say he smashed window

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando police say a parent smashed a school bus window to help his child get out after things got out of control aboard the vehicle.

Local 6 obtained the 911 call that the school bus driver made to police.  Local 6 also learned that the parent is now under investigation.

According to a police report, a bus driver was taking students home from Southwest Middle School when the children started screaming and jumping on their seats.

The kids ignored the bus driver's repeated attempts to calm down, so he stopped the bus at Vineland Road and Major Boulevard and alerted a dispatcher.

He waited for police to arrive, but parents got to the bus first and the situation quickly escalated.

"The parents show up at that place and they broke the windows on the bus, so we need law enforcement ASAP," the bus driver told his dispatcher. "They're outside, and we got the students inside, and (the parents) are attacking the bus."

The report said a parent demanded that his daughter be left off the bus, but the driver refused and waited for police to arrive, following the school district's policy.

That parent then smashed the driver's side window of the bus with his fist, the police report stated.

"One of the people apparently who broke the window pulled one of the students out by the window and (it's not known) where they went," the bus driver said on the 911 call.

Frank Moynohan's granddaughter attends Southwest Middle School and said he surprised by the incident.

"Violence, of course, is uncalled for," said Moynohan. "I can't imagine doing that in front of a school bus full of kids."

Local 6 spoke to the bus driver, but he wouldn't comment on what happened.  The name of the parent was redacted from the police report.  Police said they aren't releasing his name, citing an active investigation.

The case has been forwarded to the state attorney's office, which will decide if the parent will be charged with criminal mischief.

Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.


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