School Bus Driver Arrested After 5-Year-Old Child Dragged Down the Road in Terrifying Incident

A New York school bus driver has been arrested after allegedly trapping a 5-year-old child’s backpack in the bus doors and driving away, dragging the young student along the roadway in a frightening incident that could have ended in tragedy.

Tasha Van Dayne, 37, of Clinton, New York, was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment following the November 2 incident in the town of Kirkland, about 50 miles east of Syracuse.

According to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Van Dayne was operating a full-size 2023 school bus for the Clinton Central School District when she stopped along Martin Drive to drop off several children during her regular afternoon route.

But as the final student stepped off the bus, something went dangerously wrong.

Investigators say Van Dayne closed the doors before the 5-year-old had completely cleared the vehicle, trapping the child’s backpack between them.

The driver then allegedly pulled away, dragging the young student alongside the moving bus.

“The child was dragged a distance before the bus stopped,” the sheriff’s office said in its initial report.

School officials later explained that the bus continued moving until the driver became aware of what had happened and stopped.

Fortunately, the child escaped with minor physical injuries, although the terrifying ordeal also affected other students who remained aboard and witnessed the incident.

The sheriff’s office launched an investigation after receiving a report about the child being dragged along the roadway.

On Tuesday, November 3, Van Dayne voluntarily surrendered to authorities and was arrested on one count of second-degree reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor under New York law.

She was released with an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Kirkland Town Court on November 16.

Meanwhile, the Clinton Central School District moved quickly to address the incident, announcing that the driver involved would no longer be transporting students.

In a statement to families, school officials acknowledged that the experience had been frightening not only for the injured child but also for classmates who witnessed what happened.

“While we are relieved that the student did not sustain serious physical injuries, we recognize that this was a frightening and traumatic experience,” the district said.

Administrators contacted families whose children were aboard the bus and announced that counseling and additional support would be available to affected students.

School officials also emphasized the responsibility transportation employees have to protect children during pickup and drop-off.

“The safety and well-being of our students are among our most important responsibilities, and we take an incident of this nature extremely seriously,” the district said.

The frightening episode has also drawn attention to the dangers children can face while entering and exiting school buses, particularly when backpacks, loose straps or clothing become caught in automatic doors.

The Clinton Central School District’s own transportation safety guidance advises students to keep dangling accessories off backpacks and clothing to reduce the risk of items becoming caught.

However, investigators have not disclosed whether any particular backpack accessory contributed to this incident.

Authorities also have not revealed exactly how far the child was dragged or whether the bus was equipped with a functioning door safety mechanism.

The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Van Dayne has not been convicted, and the reckless endangerment charge remains an allegation as the case moves through court.

For the young student and the classmates who witnessed the ordeal, an ordinary afternoon ride home became a frightening experience. Fortunately, the child survived without serious reported injuries, even as questions remain about how the accident happened.