Hansen students witness alleged assault of bus driver

A group of Hansen Elementary students witnessed what school leaders characterized as a “very difficult and disturbing” scene on Tuesday morning after an irate parent boarded his child’s school bus and physically assaulted the driver.

The incident occurred on Bus C10 at the Prynne Hills apartment complex (formerly Avalon), which is located off Randolph Street on the Canton/Randolph line.

Randolph Police responded to the scene and are leading the investigation with assistance from the Canton Police Department. Firefighters/paramedics from Randolph also responded and treated the injured driver, while an alternate driver was dispatched by the bus operator, First Student Inc., to complete the route, accompanied by a CPS school resource officer and a member of the CPS administrative team.

In a letter to Hansen families, Principal Tami Olsen and Superintendent of Schools Derek Folan indicated that while no students were involved in the incident, they did “witness the altercation and alleged assault of the driver.”

“As such, our number-one concern was the safety and well-being of the students for the remainder of the bus ride and their arrival at Hansen,” school leaders said.

Acknowledging that the incident had a “significant impact” on the students who witnessed the attack, Olsen and Folan said the Hansen counseling team provided one-on-one support and care to students upon their arrival at school while Hansen administrators followed up with phone calls to the affected families.

In an effort to ensure the continued well-being of the students, school officials said administrators will be riding the C10 bus for the remainder of the week, and Canton Public Schools will “continue to collaborate with both the Randolph and Canton police departments.”

Reached by telephone, a spokesperson for the Randolph Police declined to share any specifics about the suspect or the investigation, referring all questions to its PR partner agency, John Guilfoil Public Relations (JGPR). A follow-up email to JPGR was not returned as of press time.

While it is not clear at this time if any charges were filed, Canton school officials said from what they have learned, the incident began with a “verbal discussion” between the parent and driver that “turned physical.”

A report by WCVB NewsCenter 5 quoted one student eyewitness who said the dispute started after the driver closed the door before the suspect’s child could get on the bus. The student told NewsCenter 5 that the bus began to drive away, but then the parent “went up to the bus and started knocking on the door.”

Witnesses told the TV news station that when the driver opened the door to allow the student onto the bus, the parent followed and began “yelling and swearing before he repeatedly punched the driver in the face.”

The mother of another student who was on the bus told NewsCenter 5 that there were “a lot of swears and bad words” used, and students on the bus were crying.

“We commend our students for responding so well in a very difficult and disturbing situation,” stated Olsen and Folan in their letter to families. “A heartfelt thank you to the administration, counselors, nurses and educators for their work in supporting the students and families.”

Members of the Hansen community who have any questions or concerns related to the incident are being advised to contact the school administration.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=133985

Posted by Jay Turner on Apr 30 2026. Filed under Top Stories. Both comments and pings are currently closed.