A Louisiana school bus driver is facing charges after allegedly slapping and choking a middle school student in an incident that was caught on camera.
Miles Jenkins, 77, was taken into custody on Oct. 30 and charged with simple battery.
Video of the incident, recorded by another student and obtained by WVUE, apparently shows Jenkins pushing a student after the child tried to get out of his seat, and then slapping the boy across the face.
The boy fights back and pushes Jenkins, who then smashes the boy into the bus window and appears to choke him.
Other students on the bus are startled by the altercation, as one yells, "Get off of him."
The video cuts off as the student and Jenkins walk toward the bus door. It's not entirely clear when led to the incident.
Jenkins, who was employed by third-party contractor First Student, has since resigned.
"At First Student, we invest heavily in the comprehensive training and ongoing development of our drivers," the company said in a statement to WVUE. "They receive an average of 40 hours of training before operating a bus, which is more than double the federal requirement. Drivers also go through regular enhancement training during their tenure with the company. We monitor driver performance daily and conduct annual evaluations."
Jefferson Parish Schools also issued a statement, telling WVUE they are cooperating with the police investigation. The district is located just outside New Orleans.
"Bus drivers for our transportation vendor, First Student, are required to know and abide by our district's policies and procedures. To the extent that drivers fail to follow those policies and procedures, they are not fulfilling the requirements of their job," the statement said.
Jenkins was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center and bail was set at $500. However, according to The Times-Picayune, he was released without having to pay because of overcrowding at the jail.