MESA, Ariz. — A woman accused of assaulting a school bus driver in Mesa has been arrested, the city's police department said.
The incident occurred at a bus stop near Country Club Drive and McKellips Road in Mesa around 2:15 p.m. on April 11, the school district said. There were no weapons involved and the bus driver had minor injuries. While no students were harmed, there were students on the bus who witnessed the incident, the school district said.
Police said 27-year-old Hermenegilda Marquez was arrested on April 17 for allegedly assaulting the 64-year-old school employee.
Court records show the driver told police the suspect approached the bus' door and started yelling at the driver, accusing them of "saying things" to the suspect's daughter. The driver denied saying anything and the suspect then started striking the driver's head and pulling her hair.
A man eventually pulled the suspect off the bus as she was continuing to pull the driver's hair. Up to 11 children were on the bus when the incident occurred, court records show.
"We understand this is very unsettling. Safety is our top priority at Mesa Public Schools and we trust Mesa Police to come to a resolution," the school district said in a letter sent to families on Thursday.
Mesa Public Schools released a list of behaviors not tolerated on buses or at school:
- Verbal harassment
- Abusive or foul language
- Disorderly conduct
- Disrupting, obstructing or interfering with school operations
- Threats, intimidation or physical assault
- Abuse of district employee
- Failure to respond to a directive from a school official
"Student and staff safety is our top priority. We all own the responsibility for keeping our campuses, buses, and all district properties safe," the district said. "Together, we can ignite a culture of learning and well-being for every student."
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