School Bus Driver Fired After Crash

The school bus driver who ran into the back of a tractor trailer on Thursday afternoon was dismissed Friday, after the Florida Highway Patrol and school officials reviewed video of the accident that shows the driver was at fault.

Seconds before the accident, Charles Robert Orr, 68, of Palmetto, was seen on the video handing a piece of paper back to a student behind him. After he passes the note back, students on the bus scream to watch out.

They clearly are warning the driver that he is about to crash.

District officials say that the school bus was traveling at 34 mph right before the crash, according to records taken by a GPS.

The impact of the crash pushed the bus firewall in and up against the brake pedal, not allowing it to fully engage. The force also pinned Orr's legs beneath the steering wheel.

The emergency brake and key to the bus were pushed in and between Orr's legs, making it impossible for him to completely stop the bus. The bus continued to coast along the shoulder of the road as Orr steered it after the crash.

At the time, there were 26 students aboard the bus, and 23 students were taken to area hospitals. School officials said today that the district will pay the hospital bills for every student involved in the accident.

"We are sorry that this accident happened," said Tim McGonegal, superintendent of schools. "The School District of Manatee County wants to assure the families that we will be responsible for paying the students' medical bills."

McGonegal said the district is reaching out to the parents of injured students. Parents can contact Cheryl Burt, at 941-708-8770, ext. 2058 or 2052, about their child's medical expenses.

Even though the driver was injured, he tried to get the students to remain in their seats.

But the students were clearly frightened. One boy yelled that he smelled gas leaking. At that point, it seems that some students panicked. They kicked out the emergency exit window and some jumped from the bus as it coasted along the shoulder of the road.

School officials said Friday there was no fuel leak.

Three men who witnessed the crash rushed in to help. One of the men jumped aboard the bus, while two others grabbed each of the bus's side view mirrors to try to slow it. The man on the bus ordered the students to get back in their seats and to be quiet until the bus stopped.

In the accident video, the students appear to be listening. The man, apparently an employee at a nearby car wash, cut his arm when he jumped on the bus through the broken emergency exit window.

Orr can be heard apologizing to him as he continued to steer the bus until it stopped.

The driver had five years of bus driving experience before coming to the district. He was hired as a substitute driver in August. Whe he was hired, he had no points on his driving record.

The Florida Highway Patrol cited him in the accident for careless driving.