A substitute school bus driver in Colorado faced dismissal after mistakenly leaving 40 elementary students at an incorrect stop in cold temperatures. The incident occurred in Castle Rock, located about 30 miles south of Denver, and involved children from Clear Sky Elementary School. The Douglas County School District reported that the driver, identified as Irving Johnson, did not adhere to standard protocols during the episode, which left the children distressed and seeking help from strangers.
The event unfolded when Johnson, a relief driver covering route #253, deviated from the assigned route. According to 10-year-old student Caitlyn Zavadil, who spoke to Denver’s NBC affiliate KUSA, the children were delayed in leaving the school and subsequently missed their usual drop-off stops. Zavadil described the situation as frightening, likening it to feeling kidnapped as the bus bypassed their intended stops.
Johnson eventually instructed the children to exit the bus near the corner of East Wolfensberger Road and Auburn Drive, roughly two miles from their school. The children, unprepared for the cold with some having left their jackets behind, faced temperatures as low as 19F. Fortunately, a stranger assisted Zavadil and her sister by providing transportation and contacting their mother.
The school district has since issued an apology to the affected families and confirmed Johnson’s dismissal. In a communication with parents, Chief Operations Officer Rich Cosgrove expressed regret over the incident and reassured that safety procedures are being reinforced among all drivers. An active investigation by the Castle Rock Police Department is ongoing, and as a result, video footage from the bus will not be released at this time.
Johnson has publicly apologized for the mishap, acknowledging his failure to ensure the children’s safety and expressing remorse for the oversight. The district continues to address the fallout from this event and is taking steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
