NATIONAL COALITION OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY NEWS UP TO DEC. 2003

Serial killer suspect was once a school bus driver
June 20, 2003

JACKSONVILLE, FL - When you put your children on a bus in the morning you expect that the driver transporting them is a safe driver, is drug free, and course has no criminal history. But that's not always the case as First Coast News found out.

Suspected serial killer Paul Duroursseau apparently worked as a bus driver and may not have been the only person who drove without a background check. During the Jacksonville bus crisis, First Student says that it unfortunately hired people with records before their checks were finished. They say they were forced to hire people before performing background checks because they were in a crunch.

When Durousseau filled out his application, First Student was in the middle of the bus crisis. According to Mike Murray of First Student, "There was what might be characterized as a boycott of First Student on behalf of some drivers, which caused a serious compression of putting drivers on the road."

Drivers like Paul Durousseau. A man who just three weeks prior to being hired by First Student was put on probation on charges of aggravated assault.

During this time period First Student admits that other drivers with criminal pasts like Durousseau's were also hired but were then let go when their records were checked. Durousseau was no different.

"In the case of Mr. Durousseau he should not have been hired as a school bus driver and as soon as the background check verified that he was terminated."

Durousseau was taken off the road just fifteen days after he was hired.

According to Mike Murray, "The fortunate part was that he was found and terminated. The unfortunate part is that our ordinary hiring practices would preclude this man from being hired as a school bus driver."

First Coast News

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