A Texas school bus driver was arrested and fired October 16 after he ignored a road closure sign and drove through a flooded low-water crossing anyway.
The incident was captured on the bus’s dash cam, which was released October 26.
Footage shows Nathan DeYoung, 57, driving a school bus past a barricade and into churning flood waters with a 12-year-old passenger inside.
As DeYoung continues driving, the water obviously gets deeper and eventually starts to splash over the hood of the bus.
But DeYoung keeps driving and eventually loses control altogether.
The bus is swept away, tipping and floating downstream in the fast-flowing floodwaters from the creek that crosses the road.
It eventually comes to a stop amid some trees and branches.
Emergency personnel rescued DeYoung as well as his sole passenger, the 12-year-old boy, before DeYoung was arrested at the scene on charges of endangering a child and failure to obey warning signs.
DeYoung had only worked for the Leander ISD School District since August, a Leander Independent School District spokesperson said.
During the incident, which occurred at around 8:30 a.m., the 12-year-old passenger called his mother, Ashley Ringstaff, who posted to Facebook about the incident.
> At 8:26 am I got a call from Jason in hysterics. Telling me he loves me and that he is scared and thinking he was going to die. I hope no one ever has to listen to their child or loved one preparing to die because of a stupid decision that should of never have happened. I finally understand the feeling of being numb and in shock.Thanks to everyone that has been checking on him, he is exhausted and resting but he was not physical harmed. Thank you to Leander and WilCo first responders for getting my child back to us safely.Water isn’t forgiving and has more force than most people think. Just because you think you can make it across a low water crossing, doesn’t mean that you will. It’s not worth it, ever.I thank God for watching over Jason today and keeping him safe. Our little tiny creek on our road that we drive over the bridge all the time, swept him down the creek while he was on the way to school. He was the only child on the bus along with the driver. Both made it out safe.
Leander police concurred with Ringstaff and said they released the video “to illustrate the dangers of attempting to drive across a low-water crossing during flood conditions.”
After being booked into the Williamson County Jail on charges of endangering a child and not obeying warning signs following the incident, DeYoung posted a $10,000 bond and was release the next day, according to the Star-Telegram.
