FOX 21/27 – WFXR Roanoke/WWCW Lynchburg News, WeatherBedford County school bus driver responds to $20 million lawsuit

Bedford County school bus driver responds to $20 million lawsuit

Video taken on a Bedford County school bus sparked a $20 million dollar lawsuit, alleging former school bus driver Alice Holland and bus aide Mary Evans beat then 12 year old Timothy Kilpatrick multiple times back in 2009.

In a response filed by Holland, she says she never threatened, intimidated, physically abused, or harmed Timothy, even though in 2009 she was convicted of assault and battery.

The suit claims video from September 24th shows Holland using a seat belt restraint to quote choke or asphyxiate Kilpatrick, in an attempt to stop him from crying. Holland says she was simply adjusting the seat belt, and never choked or inflicted any harm on him.

In the video you can see Holland and Davis hit Kilpatrick several times. Still, Holland says she has no knowledge of any abuse happening on the bus. She says however she did repeatedly report serious misbehaviors by Timothy while he was on the bus, and that such behavior was a problem for the other children on the bus, which raised safety concerns for the passengers and employees on the bus.

A Central Virginia Community Services case manager says that notes provided by Kilpatrick's attorney contradict her statement, saying after reviewing the tapes, "Timothy did not show any violence."

The family's also claims Holland strapped timothy into a harnessed seat holding him in place when he was hit. Holland denies the accusation. Holland says the harness was given to her by the bus supervisors when she reported Timothy's misbehavior, and that she was told it was for the safety of Timothy and the other passengers.