Executive Summary
- Jeffery Colburn, 65, arrested and charged with manslaughter in Rockland, Maine.
- Victim identified as 12-year-old Brayden Callahan, struck after exiting the bus.
- Police records cite a previous bus crash in October and a 2015 OUI conviction.
- Incident marks the second school bus-related student fatality in the state this year.
ROCKLAND, Maine — Law enforcement officials arrested a school bus driver on Thursday in connection with a fatal incident that occurred last November, resulting in the death of a local student. According to Rockland police, 65-year-old Jeffery Colburn of Camden has been charged with manslaughter in the death of 12-year-old Brayden Callahan.
authorities report that the student was fatally struck by the vehicle shortly after disembarking from the school bus. The arrest follows an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatality, with police alleging criminal negligence in the operation of the transport vehicle.
Investigative filings reveal a pattern of safety concerns regarding the driver prior to the fatal event. According to a police report, Colburn crashed an empty school bus into a parked car in Thomaston in October, just one month before the fatal incident. Additionally, public records indicate that Colburn was convicted of operating under the influence (OUI) in 2015.
This tragedy marks the second student death involving school buses in the region during the current academic year. In a separate incident last month in Standish, authorities confirmed that a 5-year-old student died after becoming entangled in a school bus door while the vehicle was in motion.
Regulatory Oversight and Safety Standards
The filing of manslaughter charges against a driver with a documented history of traffic incidents, including a prior OUI and a recent crash involving a district vehicle, is likely to prompt an urgent review of transportation personnel vetting and retention policies. This case highlights critical questions regarding how school districts monitor driver safety records to mitigate risks to students. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
