LANDIS, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A Corriher Lipe Middle School mother has been accused of threatening to kill a school bus driver and striking her eye on Monday, April 24, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.
Estella M. Tucker, the woman identified as the mother, was charged with the following:
- Trespass/impede school bus
- Assault on school employee/volunteer
- Disorderly conduct and communicating threats
Authorities said the incident stemmed from the driver inadvertently missing a stop, which was Tucker’s daughters. Before the driver could correct the mistake, she noticed a vehicle traveling behind the school bus and continued on her path.
The student (Tucker’s daughter) informed the driver she was on the phone with her mother, who wanted her to stop the bus to let her off.
However, the Rowan County School System policy does not allow bus drivers to release students other than at their assigned stops. For this reason, the driver said she would take the student to her designated stop after finishing the upcoming one.
After reviewing video surveillance, deputies said that when the driver stopped the bus at the next stop, Tucker approached the open doors, shouted at the bus driver, and then got onto the school bus aggressively.
Tucker approached the driver ‘while shouting at her and pointing her finger inches away from the driver’s face,’ the report states.
Officials said profanity was used, and at one point, Tucker threatened to kill her — after that statement, she struck the bus driver in the right eye with her index finger. The driver put her arm up in self-defense as Tucker continued to yell at her and ordered her off the bus. Eventually, what appeared to be a man, removed Tucker from the bus, the report states.
Deputies said Tucker continued to yell at the driver until the doors could be closed. The driver advised all students to stay on the school bus.
After multiple attempts to speak with Tucker, a deputy went before a magistrate on April 28, where he obtained warrants.
Later that day, the deputy contacted Tucker, and after she gave her account of the incident, it did not match what the video showed, and he informed her warrants were taken out on her.
She turned herself into the magistrate’s office Saturday, April 29, where she was served with the warrants. She was released on a written promise to appear in court on June 29, 2023.
