School Bus incidents in Dover, NH have a driver fired.

By AARON SANBORN
[email protected]
Article Date: Thursday, June 19, 2008
DOVER — A bus driver who was transporting a bus full of Middle School students earlier this month was summonsed for allegedly not stopping the bus at a railroad crossing, despite the bus being struck on the roof by the warning gate. The driver has since been relieved of his duties for the Dover School District and Superintendent John O'Connor is fuming about what he claims is incomplete information the driver reportedly gave his employer, First Student Inc., about the incident. Donald P. LaChance, 59, of 67 Oak Street, Gonic, was summonsed on a motor vehicle law that requires certain vehicles must stop at all railroad grade crossings, a violation that alleges he failed to stop before the tracks — something he is required to do by state law regardless of the warning lights. "He is no longer a driver for the Dover School District and I believe he may not be driving for First Student anymore," O'Connor said Wednesday evening. First Student Inc. couldn't be reached Wednesday evening to confirm O'Connor's remark. The incident was reported to police on the morning of June 2 by two people who witnessed it, according to Capt. William Simons. Simons said by the time police arrived the bus was already gone. They did a follow-up investigation and reviewed bus surveillance video. "The bus was heading south at Chestnut and Third Street by St. Mary's Church and went through the railroad warning lights," Simons said. "We viewed the video and it showed the bus slow down and continued on through." While going through the lights the warning gate came down and bounced off the roof of the bus, Simons said. No one was injured and the bus didn't suffer any significant damage.

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This boggles my mind. It's ironic in the sense that some things in life are automatically a granted. Like daylight saving time, gravity and buses stopping at grade crossings. This driver got what he deserved. An incident this grossly negligent doesn't deserve a suspension or a warning. One can only hope he doesn't get picked up by another bus service.

I think that the d-head got off pretty easy.
Ian, is that civil or criminal up there ? I hope that they're taking action to revoke his CDL. He should have also been charged with New Hampshire's version of Operating so as to Endanger, a criminal Mass. violation. C90, S24 (2 years max becoming good friends with "Bubba").

If my boy was on that bus, Mr. LaChance and myself would have a little late-night "meet and greet" one starry night.

3rdrail wrote:I think that the d-head got off pretty easy.
Ian, is that civil or criminal up there ? I hope that they're taking action to revoke his CDL. He should have also been charged with New Hampshire's version of Operating so as to Endanger, a criminal Mass. violation. C90, S24 (2 years max becoming good friends with "Bubba").

If my boy was on that bus, Mr. LaChance and myself would have a little late-night "meet and greet" one starry night.

Civil complaint. About 90% of MV is up here. However, you could charge him criminally with Endangering the Welfare of a Child.