Driver of school bus clipped by train facing 29 counts of child neglect charges
By Madilyn Destefano, David Jones, Hayley Crombleholme
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SUMTER COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — The driver of the school bus that was clipped by a train in Sumter County April 2 is now facing 29 felony counts of child neglect as of Monday, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
SCSO responded to the scene at E Central Avenue and N Market Street in Bushnell last week.
While investigating, deputies were able to obtain the video from inside the bus at the time of the incident.
According to the arrest report, Yvonne Hampton, the driver of the bus, proceeded over a railroad crossing after the warning lights had already activated and the crossing arms had begun to lower, according to the arrest report.
The report said deputies reviewed audio and video from inside the bus, and that a voice believed to be Hampton’s can be heard saying, “not gonna stop for no train.”
Detectives said when they interviewed Hampton, she said she was already moving over the tracks when the train warning system turned on. But an arrest report says video from the bus shows otherwise.
On Tuesday, Hampton went before a judge on charges including culpable negligence, reckless driving, and 29 counts of neglect of a child without great bodily harm. In total, her bond was set at $30,000.
She bonded out of the Sumter County jail on Tuesday around 5:30 p.m.
Superintendent Logan W. Brown of the Sumter County School District issued a statement regarding the accident on April 2 and shared an updated post on Facebook on April 6.
Full statement below “This afternoon, one of our school buses (Bus 2517) was involved in an accident in which the rear of the bus was clipped by a train. I had the opportunity to visit the scene shortly after the incident.
I am grateful to report that there were no reported injuries to any students or staff. Student safety is our top priority, and we are incredibly thankful that everyone is safe.
The incident is currently under review by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Sumter County School District.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Sumter County Fire Department for their prompt and professional response. Their swift action helped ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved.
I also want to thank the administrators from South Sumter Middle School and South Sumter High School who responded to the scene and assisted with safely releasing students to their parents. Their leadership and care for our students were greatly appreciated.
We appreciate the patience and support of our families and community as we work through this situation. We will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”
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