BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (March 31, 2014) — A Battle Creek school bus driver was arrested Monday morning, according to police.
The 46-year-old driver got in a minor crash while driving a bus in a Burger King parking lot. Police discovered the school bus driver was driving on a suspended license and also said he had multiple warrants.
FOX 17 has learned one of the warrants includes a felony, after the suspect allegedly wrote bad checks.
No one was injured, and there were no children aboard the bus during the crash. Family members identify the school bus driver as Kevin Frederick.
FOX 17 asked Karen Hart, the district’s leadership coach, how Frederick continued to drive for the district on a suspended license. Frederick has been a driver for the district since January 2011.
“Bus drivers are obligated to let us know if they lose their license,” Hart said. “It’s in their contract. So it is possible that someone, ya know, forgot to tell us.”
Hart said Superintendent Linda Hicks is in Washington D.C. at the moment, but this morning Hicks was informed of Frederick’s accident and his driving record.
Hart said the district knew nothing about his suspended license.
When asked how often the district checks their bus drivers’ records, Hart replied, “When they first hire on, we do a complete criminal check. And beyond that, I don’t know what the frequency is.”
Police said that Frederick had multiple warrants out for his arrest. Lieutenant Austin Simons said the worst is for retail fraud where Frederick is accused of writing bad checks.
FOX 17 asked Hart if parents should be concerned following these revelations about this driver’s record. Hart replied: “I think anytime you have someone you feel isn’t going to be as safe with your students, you’re going to have some concern. I will tell you that in the time that he was driving for us, we have not had any concerns about his safety with students.”
Frederick’s son, Jordan, says he reached out to FOX 17 after he saw some unfavorable remarks about his father on social media. “I just want to put it out there that he’s actually a good person. I didn’t know anything about this stuff … He didn’t have a lot of money to go around; he’s got six kids. He’s a single father. He’s got a lot going on right now.”
“People make mistakes. Things happen. You do things that you’re not proud of. Everybody has skeletons in their closet,” Jordan said.
Hart said the superintendent is conducting a full investigation to make sure the district’s policies are adequate.
Frederick is in the Calhoun County Jail.
Follow Darren Cunningham on Facebook
