Bus Driver Didn't Realize Man Wasn't A Student On Bus: Police

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —The man charged for getting onto a Bensalem school bus Friday morning was able to because the bus driver told police it was "dark and foggy" and he didn't realize that the suspect wasn't a student at first.

According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Patch Monday, Elliot Smith Jr. allegedly walked onto the bus with four students around 6:30 a.m. Friday at the intersection of Hillside Avenue and Bristol Road.

Smith sat alone in the second row while the bus traveled 2.5 miles. He did not interact with students, the affidavit states.

Police intercepted the school bus about four miles away at Mechanicsville and Galloway roads and took Smith into custody. He was arraigned on a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized school bus entry. He is incarcerated in Bucks County Corrections Center in lieu of 10 percent of $25,000 bail. Smith did not have a defense attorney listed on Monday.

The school district released a statement Friday but did not provide more information Monday.

"Since this is an active investigation, the district cannot comment any further at this time," Susan Phy, a spokeswoman for the Bensalem School District told Patch in an email.

Bucks County Radio reported at 6:44 a.m. that there was a man who was not a student that got onto Bus #16 and was headed toward Bensalem High school from the area of Brownsville Road and Weldon Avenue, Bensalem Police Officer Tyler Smith told Judge Joseph Falcone in the probable cause affidavit

The call from the school district transportation office was made by Dave Shapp.

The transportation office was able to provide a description of a man wearing a hoodie and carrying a trash bag as well as updated locations of the school bus. Bensalem officers were able to stop the bus in the area of Galloway Road and Mechanicsville Road.

Officers boarded the bus and located Smith, who was wearing a hoodie and had a backpack and a trash bag with him.

He was removed from the bus and identified as Elliott Smith. Smith had an active warrant from Montgomery County Sheriff's Office for resisting arrest. Smith did acknowledge to Sgt. Marshall that he was indeed on a school bus.

The officer then went to the school district transportation garage and spoke with bus driver George Hicks.

Hicks said his first stop was at 6:30 a.m. Friday at Bristol Road and Hillside Avenue where he normally picks up four students.

The bus driver told police that five got on. Hicks then stated he was contacted by the transportation office that a student on his bus reported that there was an unknown man sitting on it.

Hicks did confirm that and said it was dark and foggy and did not realize that the subject was not a student at first.