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Parents of children charged with bus driver assault speak out

Posted at 10:44 PM, Nov 28, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-29 06:55:58-05

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Trophies and medals adorn Robin Allen’s home. Her son Lavar, 12, has won awards in basketball, baseball, for most valuable player and for best attitude.

But Wednesday night, Lavar’s mom says her son sat in a  juvenile jail cell, accused of assaulting a school bus driver.

“I`m upset. I’m frustrated. I`m hurt. He`s not into no violence. He plays basketball, he goes to school, he goes to practice. He don't get into this type of stuff,” Robin said.

Lavar Allen is one of six Albert Hill Middle School students arrested Wednesday, charged with the assault of a 55 year-old male bus driver Tuesday morning near the intersection of Idlewood and Sheppard Streets.

“He shed tears, because he don`t understand. He don`t want to mess up his basketball career,” she said.

Tashona Liggins' son was also arrested. She says it started when the kids were throwing crayons at the bus driver. Liggins claims the driver got mad, and started hitting her son, and that's when Lavar and the other kids jumped on the driver.

CBS 6 asked Liggins what she thought about kids throwing crayons at a bus driver driving a school bus.

“It wasn`t right, especially while he`s driving but the point is you're a 53 year-old man, and he's an 11 year-old boy,” she said.

But, Richmond Police say the bus driver is the victim -- assaulted and injured by the students.

CBS 6 stopped by the bus driver's home Wednesday night. When he opened the door, he tried to conceal his injury and said quote  "I'm sorry this happened, but I can't speak because it's under investigation.”

A spokesperson for Richmond Public schools says the six students arrested, and one other student from Albert Hill Middle  have been suspended for 10 days, pending a disciplinary hearing regarding the alleged assault.