A school bus driver has been charged with a felony hit and run following a collision with a parked vehicle that also injured a child. Investigators said they can’t determine whether the driver knew a child was involved in the accident. But evidence shows that the driver left the scene after striking the vehicle that pinned the 12-year-old between the vehicle and the bus.
Cathy Donald was charged with felony hit and run after the incident last Friday on Locust Street.
Police Chief Terry Gann said the bus stopped in front of Yazoo Estates to let children off at the stop. A 12-year-old child exited from a house across the street and approached a parked vehicle next to the bus.
“The child walked over to the vehicle and opened the driver’s side rear door,” Gann said. “Just as the child opened the vehicle door, the bus took off, striking the car door and pinning the victim’s hand. The victim was pinned between the door and the bus.”
Gann said the suspect continued to leave the scene following the collision.
“Witnesses provided the bus number,” Gann said. “We were then able to locate and stop the bus. After getting the driver’s information, we escorted her to take an alcohol and drug test, which is a routine procedure.”
Gann said Donald, who was the driver, told investigators that she did not know she had struck the vehicle.
“However, after viewing video surveillance footage from the bus, we discovered that she lied to us,” Gann said. “The conversation she had with the children remaining on the bus indicated that she did realize that she had struck the vehicle. She may not have known she also struck a child, but she did flee the scene after she knew she hit the vehicle.”
