Hopewell school bus driver suspended after allegedly having a gun on the school bus

The superintendent of the Hopewell Area School District has sent a letter to families alerting them to an incident in which a school bus driver allegedly had a gun on a school bus while transporting students. Jeff Beltz said the incident occurred Thursday morning while the driver was driving students from Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School and Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School. The principal said a student reported seeing a revolver from the driver’s possession fall to the floor of the bus while the bus was moving. That student said the driver immediately picked up the gun while seated and moved it out of sight as he continued driving the bus. Beltz said the student reported the incident to school officials and the subsequent investigation involved the district, Lincoln Park officers and Hopewell Township police. Beltz said the driver was interviewed and although he did not have the gun at the time of the interview , but admitted to having had them in his possession that day while transporting students. The superintendent said the driver also acknowledged the incident in which the gun fell to the ground while he was transporting students. Beltz said the district has suspended the driver indefinitely and the driver faces ongoing legal action. The bus has also been taken out of service and will undergo a full inspection before being used again to ensure there is nothing dangerous on the bus.