The Camden man who was driving the school bus that hit and killed a 12-year-old Rockland student has been arrested and charged with manslaughter, police say.
Jeffery Colburn, 65, was arrested Thursday after he was indicted by a grand jury and the Knox County District Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for his arrest, Rockland police said in a news release. Colburn has pleaded not guilty.
The student, Brayden Callahan, died after he was hit by a school bus on Nov. 21 at the intersection of Broadway and Eliza Steele Drive, police said. He was the first of two Maine students killed in school bus crashes within the span of a few weeks late last year.
Brayden was in front of the bus in a crosswalk when Colburn accelerated and ran him over, according to a crash report, which indicated that Colburn did not keep his eyes on the road after dropping Brayden off.
The 12-year-old was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Maine Medical Center but ultimately died from his injuries, police said.
Brayden’s injuries included severe internal bleeding, a shattered pelvis and a broken arm, according to a Friday news release by his parents’ attorney, Steve Smith, whose firm is representing the Callahans in civil action against Colburn and the Regional School Unit 13 district.
Brayden’s mother was told he “would have faced lifelong disability had he survived,” Smith added.
After the crash, Colburn was placed on administrative leave and by December was no longer working for the district.
In the days after the crash, Rockland police Chief Tim Carroll warned the community that the investigation would “be very time-consuming to ensure that we get it right.”
On Thursday, the department said that investigation included interviews with “numerous witnesses,” reviews of records and consultation with experts.
The Callahans are seeking $10 million in damages from RSU 13 and Colburn. The Maine Tort Claims Act, however, caps damages at $400,000 and gives the school 120 days to respond out of court before a lawsuit can be filed in state court. RSU 13 Superintendent John McDonald has said he hopes an agreement can be reached without a suit.
“Brayden’s parents remain devastated by this unimaginable loss,” Smith said in the Friday news release. “While no legal process can undo what happened or bring their son back, they hope (Thursday’s) arrest marks the beginning of accountability and a step toward bringing Brayden some measure of justice.”
In October, Colburn was involved in a minor crash in which he hit a parked car while driving an RSU 13 bus. He was also convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol in 2015, for which he received a $500 fine and had his license suspended for 150 days.
