Substitute bus driver in NJ fired after caught on camera speeding, texting

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Thursday, October 29, 2015
School van driver texting and speeding while driving
Diana Williams reporting in the studio with the updates on the story.

LAKE COMO, N.J. (WABC) -- A substitute school van driver in New Jersey has been fired after a student captured video of the driver speeding and texting while driving.

The student, 16-year-old Ashley Clough-Chase, sent a series of videos to her mother on Tuesday. You can see them here:

The teen captured her charter van driving up to 80 miles per hour on the Garden State Parkway.

The substitute driver was also caught on camera, taking pictures of a stuffed animal as the van is speeding along.

Mary Jo McKinley, director of Academy Charter High School, said the school was notified of the incident Wednesday morning.

"School personnel immediately shared the information with DAG Transportation and MOESC who have assured the school that the driver was immediately terminated," McKinley said in a statement. "Thankfully no one was injured and the driver will no longer have the opportunity to put the safety of other students in jeopardy."