New York Man Jailed Nine Years For Fatally Punching School Bus Driver, Who Accidentally Side-Swiped His Parked Car


Authorities say that a New York man will spend the next 9 years of his life behind prison bars following an altercation that left a school bus driver dead. According to NY Daily News, on the afternoon of June 11, 2012, 65-year-old Juan Delvalle was driving a school bus down a narrow street located on Anthony Ave., near E. Tremont Avenue, when he accidentally side-swiped a vehicle outside of Joey Scott’s residence. The vehicle was reportedly double-parked outside Scott’s residence.

Documents stated that Scott, 32, came out of his home after hearing the school bus side-swipe one of the vehicles, and when he saw that the mirror was damaged, he reportedly became irate. He ordered the school bus driver to pay him for the damages in lieu of calling the Bronx police, but Delvalle refused.

It was not immediately clear if the school bus driver remained in the bus, or if he got out to speak with Scott about the incident. But, without hesitation, Scott punched the grandfather twice in the head for allegedly refusing to pay for the damages out-of-pocket.

It was reported that the punches to the head caused Delvalle to fall to the ground, where he hit his head on the pavement and lost consciousness.

Emergency services were called to the scene and Delvalle was immediately transported to a local hospital, where he slipped into a coma and remained on life support until he passed away 10 days after the altercation.

Authorities have not released whether or not children were present on the bus when the New York man reportedly punched the school bus driver in the head, causing his death.

The New York man was arrested and charged with “first-degree attempted manslaughter in the 2012 death of 65-year-old Juan Delvalle.” Scott pleaded guilty to the charges in exchange for a lighter sentence.

On Wednesday, June 23, Joey Scott was sentenced to 9 years in prison at the Bronx Supreme Court, according to the DNA Info.

However, the victim’s death was detrimental to his family, especially to his daughter, Mariela, who was distraught over the fact that her father made plans to retire and live with her to watch his “two granddaughters, now 16 and 18, grow up” before his death.

Now, after a senseless act of violence, the school bus driver will never get the opportunity to be a part of his daughter and granddaughters’ lives.

During Scott’s sentencing, Mariela turned to her father’s killer and said, “Everything in our lives that include new or old memories will always be tainted by your violence. My inability to forget what your actions caused constantly resurfaces when I want to tell my father of a success or ask for his advice.”

“The day my father passed away was just as heartbreaking as the day he wasn’t there to see my daughters, his granddaughters, graduate from high school.”

School bus driver's death lands New York man behind prison bars
Joey Scott was sentenced to 9 years behind prison bars in a Bronx court for the 2012 fatal beating of a 65-year-old school bus driver, Juan Delvalle. [Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]

She goes on to say that she has already asked God to forgive her for the anger she feels in her heart for her dad’s killer, because she doesn’t want that rage to “carry on to her children.”

“I know that our joy will slowly be restored as the years pass.”

Afterwards, Scott gave an apology to his victim’s family, and without making eye contact he said, “I truly from the bottom of my heart apologize because I did not mean for that man to die.”

However, before Scott apologized to the family, as he had done several times before, according to a source, he told the court that he wasn’t an animal, indicating that there was “more to the story than just getting mad about a minor car accident.”

Despite Joey Scott’s attempt at proving to the court that he wasn’t the monster they painted him to be, a judge sentenced him to 9 years in prison for the fatal punch of school bus driver Juan Delvalle.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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