The details matter when the state determines which criminal charges apply and how severe the penalties will be if the defendant is convicted. In general, every crime is worse if children were present than it would be if the defendant had committed a similar action when no children were present. For example, drug possession near a school is a more serious crime than drug possession far from a school. If you are facing criminal charges for illegal actions in the presence of children, contact a Tulsa criminal defense lawyer.

School Bus Driver Faces Child Neglect Charges After Near Miss With Train

A school bus is one of the more imposing vehicles on the road. A collision between a school bus and a passenger car or motorcycle could be merely a fender bender for the bus while having catastrophic consequences for the smaller vehicle. The biggest danger with school bus accidents is that students usually do not wear seatbelts while riding the school bus.

When a train collides with almost any motor vehicle, it is a miracle if everyone in the vehicle survives. A school bus driver refused to slow down as she approached a railroad crossing in a school bus full of students. The train engineer reacted quickly and reduced the train’s speed enough to avoid disaster. The train still clipped the corner of the bus and caused property damage, though. The bus driver, a 67-year-old woman who has been driving school buses for over a decade, was fired from her job immediately, and she is facing criminal charges for child neglect.

Lawton Man Charged With Sex Offenses After Indecent Exposure Beside School Bus

Most of the sensational news stories about the dangers that await children when they ride the school bus focus on the misconduct of school bus drivers. We see mug shots of bus drivers who are facing charges for driving dangerously, consuming alcohol or drugs while on duty, or even assaulting students. Last school year, two girls complained about a sexual offense of which they were the target, and this complaint led to a man’s arrest, but the defendant was not on the bus at the time of the alleged crime, and there is no evidence that he has ever worked for a school district. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to ten years in prison.

In November 2025, a Lawton County school bus had picked up the students from its first stop on the way to school, and the bus was heading toward its next stop. Two 13-year-old girls who were sitting near the back of the bus noticed something untoward when the bus was stopped at a red light. According to a criminal complaint filed later, the man driving the car stopped next to the bus had exposed his genitals and was looking at the girls menacingly. The defendant, a 43-year-old man, is facing criminal charges for indecent exposure.

Contact Tracy Tiernan About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges involving actions on or near a school bus.  Contact Tracy Tiernan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to discuss your case.