A school bus driver in Florida is facing serious criminal charges after her bus was clipped by a moving train while carrying nearly three dozen children. The incident, which unfolded in Lee County, has sparked outrage from law enforcement and raised urgent questions about student safety on school transportation routes.
Authorities identified the driver as Yvonne Hampton, 67, who was taken into custody on Monday, April 6, and released the following day. The charges against her include 29 counts of child neglect, one count of endangering an adult, and reckless driving. Remarkably, despite the severity of the collision, no injuries were reported among the passengers.
What makes this case particularly alarming is not just the collision itself, but a statement Hampton allegedly made in the moments leading up to it. According to an arrest report reviewed by local news outlets WESH and ClickOrlando, audio captured from onboard recording equipment appeared to include Hampton saying she was “not gonna stop for no train.” That detail has fueled law enforcement’s assertion that this was no accident, but a deliberate failure of judgment.
What the Sheriff Said About the Incident
Lee County Sheriff Patrick Breeden held nothing back when addressing the public about the arrest. He emphasized that a train approaching a crossing is not something that catches a driver off guard…