LANCASTER - The Eastern Lebanon County/Elco School District was sued by a Richland family after their minor son was injured by a bus driver's alleged reckless driving.
The complaint was filed April 28 in Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas by Douglas and Mimi Shade, as well as their minor son. The defendants also include Brightbill Transportation Inc. and Shawn Lynn Stickler, the bus driver.
According to the suit, the child was on a bus driven by Stickler on November 4, 2019, when Stickler allegedly slamming on the brakes of the bus and brought the bus to an extreme sudden stop, causing the child to be jerked in his seat and struck by a book bag.
Stickler allegedly said she slammed on the brakes because a different child was making distracting noises on the bus and caused her to reach a "boiling point." Stickler knew there were unsecured children on the bus because there were no seatbelts, the suit says.
The defendants are charged with negligence and vicarious liability, totaling at least $50,000 in damages.
The Shade family is represented by Ostroff Law PC.