Video: Caught on Camera: Near Miss at Starkville Bus Stop

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Starkville student escapes serious injury when a driver speeds past a school bus at a routine drop off location. It was just after school, about 3:30 Monday afternoon, when the bus driver stopped to let students off. Cameras on the school bus caught the frightening moment on tape. The child is safe but the speeding driver is in a lot of trouble.

“No destination is so important that you need to be passing a school bus,” said Starkville Police Captain, Mark Ballard.

The video captured the seconds of terror when an elementary student was nearly hit by a car as he was getting off the school bus. In the surveillance video, you can clearly  hear the bus driver frantically blowing the horn to try to get to car to slow down.

“Red lights flashing everywhere, warning drivers that children are being unloaded and the car totally ignored those warning signs. The car never even slowed down, never saw a brake light,” said the Starkville School District Director of Transportation, Kelvin Gibson.

The video led authorities to 20-year-old, Brandon Wordlaw, who allegedly lives at the Sand Hill Arms Apartment complex, close to where the incident happened. Passing a stopped school bus while loading and unloading is against the law and can carry up to a $750 dollar fine and up to one year in jail.

Gibson says keeping the students safe is their top priority.

“We are very serious in apprehending those who break this very serious law,” said Gibson.

Starkville Police Department arrested Wordlaw for “passing a stopped school bus” and “no drivers license.” Authorities say there is an important lesson to take away for the community.

“Every year, nationally, children are killed by cars passing buses. It’s the most dangerous time for a child when they are getting on and off a bus. Our officers are going to have zero tolerance when it comes to dealing with drivers who place a child’s life at risk,” added Captain Ballard.

Wordlaw’s bond is set at $971 dollars.