City councilman working as school bus driver charged in fight with student, GA cops say
A city council member working as a school bus driver is facing charges after an altercation with a student last week, according to Georgia authorities.
Bennie Jones was arrested on Friday, Nov. 12, two days after he’s accused of hitting a student during a dust up at the Moore Street School in Dublin, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Jones is facing a charge of simple battery, a misdemeanor. Dublin police asked the state’s top law enforcement agency for assistance in the case.
McClatchy News reached out to the Dublin Police Department on Monday and is awaiting a response.
Officers arrived at the alternative school Wednesday, Nov. 10, after receiving reports of a fight, WMAZ reported, citing an incident report. School staff who were on scene told police that students on the bus were cursing and using other foul language.
Jones, who also serves as chairman of the Dublin City Council, was forced to turn around and return to the school, according to the report.
One students “continued to be belligerent” and was asked to leave the bus when they allegedly struck Jones, staff members told police, according to WGXA.
Jones files a complaint against the teen, who was later charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor, before being released into his parent’s custody, WMAZ reported. The student, who wasn’t named, told officers he hit Jones after the bus driver hit him first, according to the incident report.
A school bus driver in Minnesota is also facing charges and 90 days in jail after he’s accused of tackling a 12-year-old student to the ground, McClatchy News reported. Part of the incident was captured on video showing the driver “on top of [the student] for a short period of time” before getting up.
The driver told police he “lost it,” though it’s unclear what preceded the altercation.
The Dublin incident is still being investigated.
Dublin is about 55 miles southeast of Macon.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 5:05 PM with the headline "City councilman working as school bus driver charged in fight with student, GA cops say."