Man Accused of Slapping Kid on Bus for Giving Profane Gesture
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Updated: 3:43 PM Apr 29, 2009
Man Accused of Slapping Kid on Bus for Giving Profane Gesture
A man from Kanawha County is in trouble after he allegedly walked on a school bus and slapped a student on board.
Posted: 6:35 PM Apr 28, 2009
Reporter: Kallie Cart
Email Address: kallie.cart@wsaz.com
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UPDATE: Wednesday, April 29 @ 3:28pm
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The bus driver that was driving a school bus when a man allegedly jumped on and slapped a student is back on the job.

Many parents were concerned the bus driver allowed Beaver to get on the bus.

The Transportation Director with Kanawha County Schools tells WSAZ.com the county just wrapped up an investigation and the driver was not at fault.

"He is a dedicated bus driver and he loves the kids," George Beckett said. "The video on the bus shows he (Joshua Beaver) forcibly obtained access to the bus. The driver quickly took off his seatbelt and made Beaver leave."

Beckett says everything happened so quickly, it took a few minutes to get Beaver off the bus.

The principal at East Bank Middle School and several students were interviewed during the investigation.

The bus driver did not make the morning run, but Beckett says he was back on his normal shift Wednesday afternoon once the investigation was complete.



EAST BANK, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man from Kanawha County is in trouble after he allegedly walked on a school bus and slapped a student on board.

It happened Tuesday afternoon in East Bank.

25-year-old Joshua Beaver of Pratt is accused of slapping a teenager on the bus after he said the teen flipped the middle finger at him. Beaver says the driver let him on the bus to identify the teen.

Beaver told WSAZ.com Tuesday afternoon that he didn't slap anyone.

WSAZ.com obtained surveillance video from the bus. It shows Beaver get on the bus and move to the back. Police say that's when he slapped the 14-year-old boy.

Beaver later turned himself into police on an unrelated charge.
He's charged with malicious or unlawful assault of child or assault of a child near a school, a felony.

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Latest Comments

Posted by: a crazy guy on May 10, 2009 at 09:34 PM

i think its kinda funny that a little kid angered him so much he had to react like a child him self and slap little kids must not have been loved much as a child prolly molested by his father and his step father but that happens here in wild and wonderful west by god virginia at least he didint fondle him in a unpure way i think he will survive this
Posted by: Unknown on May 9, 2009 at 11:11 PM

To Amazed, you say these kids have no respect and there parents should taught them better.And there parents should be ashamed of them how ashame are Josh's parents ashamed of him and how well did they teach him respect.Kids will be kids
Posted by: Dan on May 4, 2009 at 02:50 PM

Little punks need a good slappin
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