The driver of a black Jeep is accused of passing a school bus in eastern Greene County when its stop arm was extended while a child got off the bus and crossed the road.

Amanda Ezzell, 34, is being summoned to appear in court for an initial hearing on a charge of recklessly passing a school bus when the arm signal was extended, a Class A misdemeanor.

Ezzell was the driver of a black Jeep Cherokee that allegedly passed a school bus when the stop arm was extended because the bus was stopped while a child got out and crossed the road in the area of Lawrence Hollow Estates on Monday, March 1.

Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin was off-duty that day, in plain clothes but driving a full-marked patrol vehicle. He was working as the School Resource Officer for Eastern Greene Schools.

Trooper Garvin said a bus driver notified him of the incident around 3:15 p.m. The bus driver was making a stop on Lawrence Hollow Drive just north of Allgood Drive when he saw the black Jeep behind him get into the southbound lane like it was going to pass. He said as he was coming to a stop, he did move the school bus over slightly so that it would be more difficult for the Jeep if the driver did attempt to pass.

The bus driver then stopped and the child got off the bus and walked across the road to a driveway. The bus driver said as soon as the child was in the driveway, while the stop arm was still fully extended, the Jeep proceeded to pass the bus. The bus driver was able to tell the trooper which driveway the Jeep had pulled into after the pass.

Trooper Garvin found the Jeep in a driveway on Lawrence Hollow Drive and was able to talk to Amanda Ezzell who confirmed she had been driving the Jeep. Ezzell allegedly said she passed the school bus because she was in a hurry because her boyfriend was mad that she was not back home yet. Then she said the stop arm was not extended when she passed. Later in the conversation, after she was told that information would be submitted to the prosecutor’s office, she allegedly asked what would happen if the stop arm was only a little bit out, but not all the way.

The summons was issued today ordering Ezzell to appear in Greene Superior Court on May 6.