Sexual Offender Caught Driving School Bus

A 57-year-old St. Petersburg man faces charges after Gulfport Police say they caught him driving a bus without a valid license. Arnette Harrington also happens to be a registered sexual offender.

Harrington was driving a private school bus with 14 children, ages 2 to 12, on board when he was pulled over around 7:55 a.m. Monday. The bus was stopped by Gulfport Sgt. Matthew Parks at 20th Avenue South and 51st Street, the police department wrote in an email to media. Harrington’s Florida driver’s license, the agency noted, is not valid due to multiple suspensions and revocations for DUI and drug charges.

The bus Harrington was driving belongs to D & Dee Transportation Services, the police department said. Children who rode Harrington’s bus attended multiple schools in the area, including Gulfport, Fairmount Park and Douglas Jamerson elementary schools and Thurgood Marshall Middle.

“It is not clear how long Harrington has been driving for this bus service, but there is no indication at this point of any inappropriate conduct with any children,” the email said.

Harrington, police noted, is a registered sexual offender, but he is not under court orders to stay away from children.

After Monday’s stop, Harrington was charged with driving on a suspended license. Officers also confiscated an illegal license plate that was on the bus, the email said.

Parents of the children on the bus at the time it was pulled over have been notified, the police department said.

The Monday traffic stop was prompted by an investigation that began on Friday, Gulfport police said. Parks was told that a 5-year-old child had been dropped off by Harrington and left unattended.

“Gulfport Police will be cooperating with other government agencies regarding potential violations of commerce and public transportation regulations by Harrington and the D & Dee Transportation Service,” the department’s email said.

Harrington has been listed as a sexual offender since 1998 following a conviction on a sexual battery charge, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records.

Photo courtesy of the Gulfport Police Department. Booking photo courtesy of FDLE.