A Glen Hills Middle School teen is being hailed as a hero after taking control of his school bus after the driver passed out, reported the Washington Post.
The incident reportedly occurred on April 24, when 14-year-old Acie Holland III noticed the bus driver was not slowing down as she normally does to turn onto his street.
According to the news report, Holland stood up in the aisle and called out to the driver from the middle of the bus. That’s when he suddenly noticed her head dropping to the steering wheel. He immediately raced up the aisle and grabbed the steering wheel as the bus began drifting over the centerline into oncoming traffic.
When the bus driver did not respond, Holland straightened out the bus, then removed her foot off the gas pedal.
The teen maneuvered the bus closer to the curb, then hit the brakes causing the bus to abruptly stop. The school bus was transporting 14 students at the time of the incident with the youngest being a fourth grader. Holland reportedly instructed the students to call their parents and asked his friend to call 911. Afterward, the teen ran to his house to get his grandma, who is a nurse.
Once the bus driver regained consciousness, she reportedly called her dispatcher at the Go Riteway Transportation Company and a new driver was sent to continue the route. Once Holland returned with his grandmother, a bus company manager arrived at the scene and the driver was taken to the hospital.
On Wednesday, Holland was honored by district principal Anna Young among others with a citation for his bravery. Holland said he felt comfortable taking control of the bus because he knows how to drive a tractor as he enjoys helping at his father’s auto repair shop.
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