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School Bus Driver Credits God For Saving Little Girl Dragged By Bus

By Noelle Nicholas
Published on: 16:25 PST, Mar 31, 2016

When we put our precious children on a school bus, we expect that they will be well cared for during their trip to and from school. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, and one little girl endured a terrifying incident when her backpack became wedged in the door of the school bus and she could not remove herself before the bus began to move.

In December of 2015, six-year-old Chelsea Klepzig was getting off the bus after a long day of school when the unthinkable happened. Her backpack and arm somehow got stuck in the door of the bus, and she was unable to get free before the bus took off. Apparently, though the little girl was screaming, the bus driver did not hear her. Chelsea was dragged nearly a mile before the bus made another stop, opening the doors, and she fell to the ground. Thankfully, she was not seriously hurt, only sustaining some scratches and bruises.

Seventy-eight-year-old school bus driver Reuben Hash was overwrought by the incident. He had worked as a substitute school bus driver since 2000. He has been with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools for many years. Up until the accident, Hash had a perfect driving record. Just two days after dragging Chelsea down the street, the school bus driver resigned from his position.

Happy that the little girl survived the accident with no lasting harm, he said he thanks God for keeping her safe.

“God was with me, and with her also.”

Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill testified during the trial, the Winston-Salem Journal reports:

“This was a tough case for us to resolve. But for the grace of God, this child could have been seriously injured.”

The little girl’s family was understandably shaken by the ordeal with the school bus. Chelsea’s grandma, Estella Klepzig, had gone to the bus stop to pick her up and witnessed the entire thing.

“I had to follow him. I kept flashing him to stop, stop because I didn’t see her feet anymore. [He] didn’t even give her a chance to move. She was still in the door.”

Fox 8 reports Reuben Hash was very remorseful following the school bus incident.

“I would never do anything like that intentionally. I’m just sorry that the incident happened. I thank God that the young lady was not injured, or it could have been worse.”

Chelsea’s mom, Falon Abbassi, made it clear to authorities that she did not want Mr. Hash to serve any jail time. According to Time Warner Cable News, a camera in the school bus caught the entire incident on film. When it was played in court, Falon Abbassi could not watch it. Listening to the screaming was torture enough for the frazzled mother.

“I could hear my daughter screaming, you know– help, hello, hello the whole mile she was dragged by the bus and that brought me to tears.”

Chelsea’s mom said her daughter still suffers some lasting affects from the terrifying ride down the street hanging out of the school bus.

“When she gets off the school bus in the afternoon, she does run as far as she can a good 30 feet away from the bus because she is petrified you know, she has nightmares still on occasion.”

The school bus driver received a $200 fine and was required to pay court costs. Though the little girl’s mom did not want to see the bus driver go to prison, she expected a little more than a fine – perhaps community service of some kind. Hash’s clean record and remorseful attitude likely saved him from a harsher sentence.

Do you think the school bus driver should have received a harsher punishment? Tell us here.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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