LEANDER, Texas – Less than two weeks after police arrested a Texas school bus driver for driving around a barricade and into a low-water crossing with a student on board, the Leander Police Department released dashcam footage Friday from that morning.
LPD officials said Nathan Deyoung was going down County Road 177 on Oct. 16 around 8:30 a.m. when the school bus he was driving was swept away by floodwaters.
RELATED: Texas school bus driver arrested after driving into high water with student on board
The footage shows the moment when Deyoung drove the school bus into a flooded creek, causing it to float away in the rushing waters.
First responders with Leander and Williamson counties were able to pull Deyoung and a 12-year-old student to safety.
The police department said Deyoung, 57, is facing charges for driving around the barricade and endangering a child.
"The Leander Police Department has elected to release a portion of the forward-facing video from the bus in an effort to illustrate the dangers of attempting to drive across a low-water crossing during flood conditions," officials said.
"TURN AROUND – DON’T DROWN is not just a catchy phrase, but potentially a life-saving reminder."
District officials said the incident also resulted in Deyoung's termination.
Oct. 16th Flooded Crossing Attempt by BusOn the morning of Oct. 16th, during record rain and flooding in our area, a bus driver attempted to drive over a low-water crossing after driving around a barricade posted in the road indicating the road was closed due to flooding. The Leander Police Department has elected to release a portion of the forward-facing video from the bus in an effort to illustrate the dangers of attempting to drive across a low-water crossing during flood conditions. The biggest factor in these circumstances is buoyancy. For each foot the water rises up the side of the vehicle, the vehicle displaces 1,500 lbs. of water. In effect, the vehicle weighs 1,500 lbs. less for each foot the water rises. Just two feet of water can carry away most vehicles. TURN AROUND – DON’T DROWN is not just a catchy phrase, but potentially a life-saving reminder. #turnarounddontdrown Link to KVUE story of original incident: https://www.kvue.com/video/news/local/community/bus-driver-charged-for-driving-in-high-water/269-8285095
Posted by Leander Police Department on Friday, October 26, 2018