Parent Reacts To Shocking Video Of Mid-Del School Bus Crash

Shocking video from inside a Mid-Del school bus involved in a crash is raising questions about the drivers responsible for our children.

Thursday, April 23rd 2015, 6:41 pm

By: News 9


Shocking video from inside a Mid-Del school bus involved in a crash is raising questions about the drivers responsible for our children.

Odis Clayton Pitts, 58 is currently in the Oklahoma County Jail accused of DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. He is yet to be formally charged.

On Wednesday, the Mid-Del School District released the surveillance video from inside the school bus Pitts was driving on Monday morning. He's accused of colliding with at least five drivers along SE 15th Street before plowing into an embankment near the railroad tracks at SW 15th and Santa Fe.

News 9 showed part of the bus crash video that aired on news 9 to one parent.

4/22/15: Mid-Del Schools Release Dash Cam Video Of 'Runaway Bus' Crash

She could not believe Pitts, the school bus driver who used to take her children to school, was the man found slumped over behind the wheel.

“How was he driving when the kids were on the bus just minutes before that?” said this concerned mother.

News 9 agreed to protect her identity to prevent any retribution to her or her children. But she wants to know if Pitts was under the influence when he was driving children to school Monday morning, and she suspects he may have been under the influence when he was driving her children too.

“I believe so,” said the mother. “I think he was on drugs.”

Police reports state Pitts did have a red pipe and synthetic marijuana in his front pocket when first responders found him after Monday morning's crash. We checked and Mid-Del District policy states bus drivers do undergo random drug testing, but only once a year.

This concerned mother wants to know why the district does not do them more often. She said she called the district's dispatch center at least four times complaining about this driver.

“I mean cause he was running stop signs, turning curbs, turning corners real hard so the kids would fall,” she said. “I called dispatch and dispatch said OK we'll take care of it.”

She said her children also told her Pitts used profanity while they were on board the bus, and would often speed through school zones. She said he almost hit a guardrail once.

She said she even spoke with a bus supervisor about her concerns, but said the district's answer was just switching Pitts' route, not suspending him from driving.

A Mid-Del District spokesperson said they have no record of complaints against Pitts, but also said personnel information is confidential.

News 9 checked Pitts' state driving record and it was free of any priors.

He is currently being held on a bond of $11,500.

The Mid-Del District spokesperson confirmed they are experiencing a shortage of school bus drivers, just like several other districts across the state and state they do review their policies and procedures throughout the year.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

April 23rd, 2015

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024