General Discussion

jsr

(7,712 posts) Fri Feb 14, 2014, 02:25 AM Feb 2014

Wisconsin bus driver punched by teen, throws back, gets fired [View all]

http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/city_releases_video_of_bus_attack_475590423.html

City releases video of bus attack
Published 2/11 at 5:32 p.m.
BY JANINE ANDERSON
janderson@kenoshanews.com

Kenosha Area Transit has released the two-minute video of bus driver Scott Wells being punched by a teenage passenger — and his response to the attack, which led to his firing.

Wells was picking up students at Tremper High School on Jan. 17 when a 15-year-old student came to the front of the bus and punched him twice in the face. Wells got up from his seat and went back after the teen, who has since turned 16.

They ended up on the floor of the bus, and Wells landed several punches. The bus crashed into several cars while the driver tussled with the student.

The boy’s mother asked police to press charges against Wells. He has not been charged, but he was let go from his employment with the city. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, which represents the city’s bus drivers, has filed a grievance over Wells’ firing, seeking his reinstatement.

166 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Wisconsin bus driver punched by teen, throws back, gets fired [View all] jsr Feb 2014 OP

Dunno what I'd have done if driving. I hope I would have stopped the bus and called dispatch. struggle4progress Feb 2014 #1

Really people? JJChambers Feb 2014 #119

And your innocent victim let an uncontrolled bus CRASH into several cars as he exacted revenge rustydog Feb 2014 #128

/sigh JJChambers Feb 2014 #131

Really? Yes. He should have put it in park then gone and restrained the punk. cui bono Feb 2014 #139

Ideally, no, you don't: JJChambers Feb 2014 #142

I'm not victim blaming. I did see later how he was pulled from his seat. cui bono Feb 2014 #159

... me not being there, of course, but I think he should have first stopped the bus. He's RKP5637 Feb 2014 #157

If he had put the bus in park before he went after the kid, rudolph the red Feb 2014 #2

agree. it would seem the firing is more appropriate for hitting cars than hitting his attacker. n/t KurtNYC Feb 2014 #80

exactly Liberal_in_LA Feb 2014 #97

I wonder . . . Brigid Feb 2014 #3

That is what set the kid off, rudolph the red Feb 2014 #23

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #150

Well that's no justification for the kid acting irrationally. cui bono Feb 2014 #160

Totally agree, didn't mean to imply that his behavior was justified rudolph the red Feb 2014 #161

He should be fired exboyfil Feb 2014 #4

Good Luck getting a jury to convict the driver of anything warrant46 Feb 2014 #33

I didn't say he should be charged exboyfil Feb 2014 #81

+1 warrant46 Feb 2014 #118

I tend to agree. The driver's first duty is safely securing the bus. Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #120

Well, I think we can see where the problem is here: Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #5

I have to agree. HappyMe Feb 2014 #6

He has obviously caused trouble on the bus before, since he was given tblue37 Feb 2014 #148

Yeah, that line caused my stomach to flip-flop. Scuba Feb 2014 #7

Or she's calling for charges to be pressed because they should kcr Feb 2014 #9

Or maybe snowflake should have just sat down, Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #10

You don't know what "snowflake's" problem was kcr Feb 2014 #11

Please show me, on this thread, Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #12

Easy kcr Feb 2014 #15

Oh, ffs! Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #16

Not excusing the kid's behavior. Not one bit. kcr Feb 2014 #18

Yeah, and I"m sure she marched snowflake Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #20

Yep. That's the problem right there. You have no clue about this mother at all. kcr Feb 2014 #21

People have opinions. Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #22

Sorry, but I calculate a 95% probability or better that the reason the mother wants to press MillennialDem Feb 2014 #24

Few parents would decline to press charges in this scenario kcr Feb 2014 #26

Again, the mother wants to do that because he hit her son, not because he left the MillennialDem Feb 2014 #28

You do not know that. kcr Feb 2014 #31

How come as far as know, 20 other parents aren't wanting to press charges? MillennialDem Feb 2014 #37

They aren't? kcr Feb 2014 #42

If you watch the video he had no choice but to fight back too. He didn't chase the teen down or MillennialDem Feb 2014 #30

I saw the video and I disagree. kcr Feb 2014 #32

Ok, how is the driver supposed to stop the vehicle while the kid is continuously MillennialDem Feb 2014 #35

He got up out of his seat and went down the isle delivering the beatdown kcr Feb 2014 #40

They fall/scuffle down the aisle as part of one continuous act (the fight). If you've MillennialDem Feb 2014 #43

Whatever. But the addition of the fact he's a bus driver kcr Feb 2014 #57

There is a point at which the boy kicks the driver away and then runs to the back exit. tblue37 Feb 2014 #155

I don't know what video you were watching.... Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #53

The video I was watching was of a bus driver and a driver's seat kcr Feb 2014 #59

Ok, let's get in your car and I'll punch you and pull you away from the wheel. I bet you can't MillennialDem Feb 2014 #63

Okay. Let's clime a burning tower and rescue a kitten! kcr Feb 2014 #65

The kid did not pull the driver away from the wheel. Javaman Feb 2014 #67

The ARTICLE states that? And articles are never wrong? Watch the damn video closely and MillennialDem Feb 2014 #70

Both the article and the video show the kid didn't pull him out of the seat. n/t kcr Feb 2014 #72

I don't care what some idiot local reporter wrote or some company bureaucrat wrote. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #73

again the kid endangered everyone..... gasman09 Feb 2014 #85

And again. Not excusing the kid. He's been charged with a felony. As he should be. kcr Feb 2014 #88

The perp 15 year old is a thug and hoodlum warrant46 Feb 2014 #36

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #125

If it wasn't for their snowflake Politicalboi Feb 2014 #116

But the kid hitting the bus driver..... gasman09 Feb 2014 #83

Did I say that?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?! n/t kcr Feb 2014 #89

Did you even watch the video warren 46 posted? DragonBorn Feb 2014 #99

Sure did. I've watched it several times now. kcr Feb 2014 #101

Ha ha my word choice upsets you? DragonBorn Feb 2014 #106

I know I can't answer them? kcr Feb 2014 #107

I dont find thug to be offensive. You seemed to take offense to it. DragonBorn Feb 2014 #111

Street fight. In a street. Not on a bus. See the difference? kcr Feb 2014 #112

Hahahaha my word choice is the best rebuttal you can offer? DragonBorn Feb 2014 #114

No, my point had nothing to do with your word choice kcr Feb 2014 #115

The driver's responsibility for securing the bus is to be determined... Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #121

Another shocker n/t kcr Feb 2014 #123

"The bus crashing can burn us all to death". Let's get real here why don't we. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #133

Yes, let's get real kcr Feb 2014 #134

At least my argument is grounded in the reality of what really happened. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #135

The argument it was okay for the bus driver to do what he did kcr Feb 2014 #136

Can you remind me again what the final result was? Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #137

Hey, bus drivers! kcr Feb 2014 #138

LOL because texting and driving is the same as defending yourself from a violent attack. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #141

No. kcr Feb 2014 #143

Derp derp texting DUI crash crash flaming dead bodies derp derp. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #144

Yep kcr Feb 2014 #145

....^ 840high Feb 2014 #90

I agree... one_voice Feb 2014 #96

I do teach today and your broad brush assessment of kids and their parents arely staircase Feb 2014 #127

Or it's possible you remember those parents kcr Feb 2014 #140

that ten percent are the ones that school administrators live in terror of arely staircase Feb 2014 #146

I don't doubt that kcr Feb 2014 #149

well as for the woman in the OP arely staircase Feb 2014 #151

It doesn't say the charges were for hitting her son kcr Feb 2014 #153

I got the impression it was for hittng her son arely staircase Feb 2014 #156

It's not an unreasonable argument to say she shouldn't be the one kcr Feb 2014 #158

the whole thing arely staircase Feb 2014 #162

He should have stopped the bus then and there... ananda Feb 2014 #8

Why did the kid sucker punch the bus driver? This fad of B Calm Feb 2014 #13

Driver should have called the police and pressed charges Lurks Often Feb 2014 #14

Wait, what? "The bus crashed into several cars" Javaman Feb 2014 #17

No. He's a hero! kcr Feb 2014 #19

Said no one. Ever. Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #45

... kcr Feb 2014 #47

I'm sorry, Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #48

And I'm sorry kcr Feb 2014 #55

So, the answer is "no." Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #58

No... kcr Feb 2014 #64

That is pretty much what the dumbass kid should have done. HappyMe Feb 2014 #49

No excuse for what the kid did kcr Feb 2014 #71

I'm not outraged. HappyMe Feb 2014 #74

Yes, he should. kcr Feb 2014 #75

If the little asshole had not punched the driver - HappyMe Feb 2014 #76

I know. If a butterfly had never flapped its wings across the ocean kcr Feb 2014 #77

Kid is charged with two felonies, driver is not charged with anything. Hopefully he MillennialDem Feb 2014 #50

Why on earth should the driver get anything? kcr Feb 2014 #69

Yeah, the OP conveniently left out that part in the title, lol - he deserved to be fired. reformist2 Feb 2014 #27

Watch the video. He got up to defend himself because the kid was continuously MillennialDem Feb 2014 #38

so, let me get this straight... Javaman Feb 2014 #54

Well, let's see you try to CONTROL and DRIVE and STOP a bus while I pull you MillennialDem Feb 2014 #56

really? really? Javaman Feb 2014 #61

Let's get in your car and I'll punch you and pull you away from the wheel and see if you MillennialDem Feb 2014 #66

as I responded to your duplicate assertion above... Javaman Feb 2014 #68

And you believe everything you read. lol gasman09 Feb 2014 #87

No, but I believe my eyes. OnlinePoker Feb 2014 #91

+1 nt Javaman Feb 2014 #93

if the bus had hit someone the kid very well could be seen as the proximate cause of the person's arely staircase Feb 2014 #163

On the other hand if he took out a gun and shot the kid to death (even if the bus crashed) MillennialDem Feb 2014 #25

Why are you obsessed with gunz? Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #122

GDS (Gun Derangement Syndrome)... Some people just can't shake it. cherokeeprogressive Feb 2014 #152

Wisconsin bus driver leaves seat of moving school bus to punch minor, gets fired. Iggo Feb 2014 #29

WI bus driver stands up while teen is holding and punching him. FIXED MillennialDem Feb 2014 #39

Kid is at fault PowerToThePeople Feb 2014 #34

It was apparently a city transit bus, not a school bus ... surrealAmerican Feb 2014 #78

Is the kid in juvenile lockup for assault? PowerToThePeople Feb 2014 #79

There are no school buses in this town. dickensknitter Feb 2014 #82

Well, he should have stopped the bus before leaving MineralMan Feb 2014 #41

He should have put the bus in Park and then beat the shit out of that teen badtoworse Feb 2014 #44

Hard to judge someone harshly in the sich. Boom Sound 416 Feb 2014 #46

That fool left the wheel to throw punches? Catherine Vincent Feb 2014 #51

Watch the video, the kid is pulling him away from the wheel AND punching him. MillennialDem Feb 2014 #52

Thanks Catherine Vincent Feb 2014 #62

See my post #91 OnlinePoker Feb 2014 #92

Yeah, fire the bus driver, because you'd definitely have reacted so much better in his situation Distant Quasar Feb 2014 #60

I misunderstood the OP. This guy wasn't a school bus driver. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2014 #84

Hope they do more to this kid than exboyfil Feb 2014 #86

Damn right they should fire him, and possibly jail him as well. Donald Ian Rankin Feb 2014 #94

I posted the same responce upthread to someone else DragonBorn Feb 2014 #100

Watch the video yourself - all of it. Donald Ian Rankin Feb 2014 #103

No. DragonBorn Feb 2014 #117

Both people wrong. BlueCheese Feb 2014 #95

had he parked the bus before pounding on the snot-nosed punk, no charges or even wrongdoing geek tragedy Feb 2014 #98

Everyone talking trash about this bus driver DragonBorn Feb 2014 #102

You really don't need to know much more than reality to know to put the bus in park siligut Feb 2014 #104

When? DragonBorn Feb 2014 #108

The bus driver lost track of his first priority siligut Feb 2014 #110

So wait, this idiot just let the bus keep on rolling and didn't bother to stop? penultimate Feb 2014 #105

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #109

Good. obxhead Feb 2014 #113

I'll let the investigation run its course, but your definition of ADULT Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #124

It stopped being self defense when he followed the child to the back of the bus. obxhead Feb 2014 #129

We'll see. My notion of self-defense has small bearing on life-status. Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #164

Actually it has no bearing on age. obxhead Feb 2014 #165

Still not determined as to the driver's culpability and Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #166

I haven't even read any of the other comments here arely staircase Feb 2014 #126

He would have been fine if he stopped the bus first. DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2014 #130

Let's be real here. The bus never got over 2 or 3 MPH and had a minor fender bender ... Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #132

Post removed Post removed Feb 2014 #147

In Florida, it seems, no problem. He could've slipped out his gun CW and killed him, kicked him RKP5637 Feb 2014 #154