A South Carolina man, Anthony Chavis, was recently apprehended by authorities after allegedly forcing a school bus off the road and attempting to break into it. The bus was carrying 19 students at the time of the incident. This event occurred shortly after school officials informed Chavis that a bus monitor had allegedly assaulted his son earlier that day.
Chavis and the bus monitor, Sharona F. Cooper, were both arrested and are now facing felony charges. Chavis’s charges include interfering with the operations of a school bus, child endangerment, threatening the life of a public official, aggravated breach of peace, malicious injury to government property, and disruption of a school by a non-student. Cooper, on the other hand, is facing a single count of third-degree assault.
The Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office released a statement detailing the events leading up to the incident. According to the statement, students on the bus reported to school officials that Cooper had physically restrained a student who refused to stay in their assigned seat. The bus surveillance camera footage corroborated the students’ claims, showing Cooper using her arm to prevent the student from moving down the aisle.
Following this incident, Chavis arrived at the school to collect his five children. While at the school, he allegedly became verbally abusive towards the administration and law enforcement staff, using profanity, racial slurs, and physical gestures to intimidate them.
After Chavis left the school with his children, the bus departed to take the remaining students home. Chavis allegedly followed the bus, forced it off the road, and blocked its path with his car. Authorities report that Chavis’s car made contact with the bus during this incident.
Chavis then exited his vehicle and allegedly struck the bus multiple times with his fist. He attempted to force open the bus door, causing damage to it. As the bus managed to bypass Chavis’s car, he reportedly threw an object at the bus, damaging the back window. The bus was carrying 19 students, a bus driver, and the bus monitor at the time, and Chavis’s five children were in his car.
The incident involving Chavis was captured by a surveillance camera, just like the alleged assault involving the bus monitor. Chavis was denied bond due to existing assault charges he was already out on bond for. Cooper is also in detention awaiting a bond hearing.