An East Hampton School District bus driver was arrested and charged with child endangerment after he allegedly made what the school district is calling an “unauthorized stop” during a morning pick-up route and left children on the bus unsupervised.
East Hampton Village Police said on Friday that they charged Angel Farez, 51, of East Hampton with multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child after he stopped and exited the bus he was driving on the morning of Wednesday, November 1, leaving the 21 elementary school students aboard unattended.
Police said that Farez had gone to a cash transfer business on West Main Street, in the Reutershan parking lot, to make a wire transfer. He was stopped for “two minutes” police said he told them.
After being charged, Farez was released on his own recognizance. The school district said that he will no longer be driving school buses.
“Fortunately, I’m pleased to report that all affected students arrived at school safely,” Superintendent Adam Fine said in a statement released by the district on Friday, though he did not specify whether Farez completed the route himself. “The district takes this incident very seriously and took immediate action by notifying the East Hampton Village Police Department as soon as we became aware of the unauthorized stop.
“The bus driver in question is no longer responsible for transporting students, and our district administrators are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation of this matter,” he added. “Furthermore, as the Superintendent, I have instructed our officials to pursue all appropriate administrative actions to address the misconduct of the bus driver. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students continue to be our highest priority in the district.”
Endangering the welfare of a child is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
Staff Writer on Nov 3, 2023