Investigation finds ‘areas of concern’ after intoxicated man boarded Boise school bus
An intoxicated, armed 19-year-old man boarded a Boise school bus in part because of overcrowding on the bus that caused “confusion” and the bus stop’s close proximity to a city bus route, an investigation by the Boise School District found.
The district’s human resources director Jason Hutchison and the transportation company, Durham School Services, found “areas of concern” after investigating last month’s incident and recommended several changes, including new drop-off and pickup locations for the school bus route and reducing the number of students on each route, according to a Friday news release from the district.
At around 7:30 a.m. in early November, a Meridian man boarded a school bus near downtown Boise that was headed to North Junior High School and Boise High School, the Idaho Statesman previously reported. Police said they discovered he had a stolen gun and drugs in his backpack.
Police said the man was under the influence or drugs or alcohol and “boarded the bus attempting to get a ride to an unknown location.” He was charged with several felonies and is currently being held at the Ada County Jail.
Several students that morning had entered and then exited the bus when they realized the bus was full, creating “confusion,” and evidence indicated the man believed he was boarding a city bus, according to the district’s release.
“The investigation determined that, while the bus driver, North administrators and Boise police all performed admirably, there are areas of concern that will be addressed both in the short and long term,” the news release said.
The district is exploring new drop-off and pickup locations for the bus route to avoid a crossover between school bus stops and Valley Regional Transit routes, according to the release. The district also plans to reassign bus routes to reduce the number of students on each route. All students who currently ride the bus are still expected to receive transportation, the release added.
The district said it’s still investigating whether it should require passengers on the school bus to show identification. The district plans to form a committee to consider “mandatory student identification,” though the district cited concerns such a policy would cause students to be left behind at bus stops.
The district also plans to improve training for bus drivers and have encouraged students to report suspicious behavior.
This story was originally published December 8, 2023 at 4:45 PM.
