A school bus driver in Castle Rock is being accused of leaving 40 young students far from their homes.

On Monday evening, a terrifying incident unfolded in Castle Rock as a school bus driver allegedly abandoned 40 elementary school students at a random intersection miles away from their homes. According to concerned parents and school officials, the driver, who was filling in for the regular route, made the students get off the bus near a cemetery at East Wolfensberger Road and Auburn Drive. This shocking behavior was captured on video by 9News, where students can be heard describing the chaos that ensued before they even left the parking lot.

It seems that the trouble began when the driver refused to start the bus until the students stopped talking, causing them to leave the school later than usual. In addition, multiple parents reported that their children were threatened and subjected to vulgar language by the driver, as reported by Fox31. 10-year-old student Caitlyn Zavadil shared her fear, stating, "We felt like when he was driving and missing our stops, it was like we were being kidnapped."

The situation escalated when the driver came to a stop around 5 p.m. at a location about two miles from the school, at the corner of Wolfensberger and Auburn. The students were then forced off the bus, leaving many of them stranded miles from home with no way to contact their parents as the temperature dropped. Some parents were able to quickly reach the intersection to retrieve their children, but others were left relying on the kindness of strangers to get their kids home safely.

In response to this alarming incident, Douglas County School District officials addressed the issue in an email to families on the affected bus route. According to Chief Operations Officer Rich Cosgrove, the driver was a "relief driver" and is no longer employed by the district. He explained that the bus was in the midst of its third stop out of twelve when it stopped at a different location, causing confusion among the students. "At that time, the remaining 40 students on the bus all exited, with many getting off at the wrong bus stop," Cosgrove stated.

The driver was expected to immediately report the incident to the district's transportation dispatch, but failed to do so, as revealed by Cosgrove. The school district is now collaborating with the Castle Rock Police Department to investigate this disturbing event. It remains unclear whether criminal charges will be filed, and the police department has declined to comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

This incident has shaken the community and raised concerns about the safety of students on school buses. As a result, many are calling for better protocols and accountability to prevent something like this from happening again. It is a relief to know that the students involved are now safe and sound, but it serves as a reminder to always prioritize the safety and well-being of our children.

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