Florida Bus Driver Arrested Following Train Crash

Yvonne Hampton, a 67-year-old former school bus driver for the Sumter County School District, has been arrested and charged after her bus was clipped by a train on April 2 in Bushnell, Florida.

Hampton faces charges of reckless driving, culpable negligence, and 29 counts of child neglect without great bodily harm. The child neglect charges correspond to the 29 students who were on board the bus at the time of the collision. One bus aide was also on the vehicle during the incident.

Incident Details and Investigation

According to officials, the crash occurred when Hampton allegedly ignored a train warning signal and drove across railroad tracks while a train was approaching. The train sounded its alarm before clipping the rear of the school bus. Although students reported being terrified, no injuries were reported among the passengers.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrest report indicates that deputies reviewed audio and video recordings from inside the bus. The report states that a voice believed to be Hampton’s can be heard saying not going to stop for no train. The video evidence showed that warning lights were active, bells were ringing, and crossing arms had begun to lower as the bus drove onto the tracks.

During interviews with detectives, Hampton claimed she was already moving over the tracks when the train warning system turned on. However, investigators stated that the video from the bus showed otherwise.

Employment and Legal Status

The Sumter County School District reported that Hampton resigned in lieu of termination following the event. Hampton was subsequently booked into jail and later released on a $30,000 bond, which included $1,000 for each of the 29 counts of child neglect.

Sumter County Superintendent Logan Brown issued a prepared video statement regarding the incident:

The trust that our families place in us to transport their children safely is something we take extremely seriously. Anyone who jeopardizes that trust will not work in the Sumter County School District.

Sumter County Superintendent Logan Brown