SEBASTIAN — A School District of Indian River County bus driver was arrested Thursday on a child abuse charge after investigators said onboard video showed her grab a student’s hand, force it into his lap and threaten to break his finger.
Tracy Marie Alpy, 65, of Sebastian, was taken into custody Sept. 10 and charged with child abuse, according to an Indian River County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit. Jail records show she was later released on $5,000 bail.
The incident happened Aug. 24 on school bus No. 2602 as students were being taken to after-school care, the affidavit said. A child protective investigator received an abuse report four days later alleging Alpy pushed the student and bent back his finger. Interviews produced conflicting accounts, and the investigator asked the district’s transportation office to preserve the bus video.
Deputies reviewed the footage Sept. 10. The video, recorded from 3:44 p.m. to 4:31 p.m., showed the bus waiting at Liberty Magnet School in Vero Beach for another bus to exchange students headed to the Gifford Youth Aquatic Center and the Boys & Girls Club, the affidavit said.
Investigators said the student was seated near the front, behind the driver, and repeatedly left his seat. Alpy walked the aisle and told him to sit down, deputies said. The student also appeared to raise a middle finger toward Alpy when her back was turned, according to the report.
About 15 minutes into the recording, Alpy sat on the edge of the student’s seat to keep him from standing, deputies said. After more students boarded and the bus began moving, the student again left his seat, stood and turned to talk with other children, the affidavit said.
Alpy repeatedly told him to sit down. When he did not, she pulled the bus over, left the driver’s seat and approached him, deputies said.
According to the affidavit, Alpy grabbed the student, forced him back into the seat and fastened his seat belt. His middle finger was extended toward her, deputies said. Alpy then grabbed his hand, forced it into his lap and said, “Do you want me to break this finger?” before returning to the driver’s seat.
The student later told investigators Alpy grabbed and bent back his middle finger and said she was “going to break it off.” He said he was afraid during the encounter, according to the report.
Deputies went to Alpy’s Sebastian home, where she invoked her right to an attorney and declined to answer questions, the affidavit said. Investigators wrote that her actions were intentional and could reasonably be expected to cause physical or mental injury.
Alpy began working for the school district in August 2019, district spokeswoman Kyra Schafte said.
“The (school district) is initiating the termination process, during which she will be afforded all applicable due process rights,” Schafte said in a statement. “The safety and security of our students remain our highest priority, and the (school district) has no tolerance for this type of behavior.”
The student was not identified because of his age. Alpy has not entered a plea in court records reviewed Friday.
