A former Orange Unified School District bus driver who lost consciousness behind the wheel in April in Anaheim and crashed, seriously injuring four students, was arrested and being extradited Friday from Arizona to answer child abuse charges.
Gerald Douglas Rupple, 25, of Ajo, Arizona, was arrested Thursday in Arizona and was on his way back to Orange County for allegedly lying about his medical history when applying for the bus driver’s job, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Rupple was charged with child abuse and endangerment and perjury by declaration and faces sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury. Rupple could face up to 19 years in prison if convicted at trial.
Rupple was driving a bus full of 11 El Rancho Charter Middle School students in Anaheim Hills about 3:40 p.m., April 24, when he passed out while the bus was still moving about 50 mph, prosecutors allege. The bus swerved off the road into several trees, and four students sustained significant injures such as broken bones, bleeding on the brain, a shattered spine and a toe amputation, prosecutors said.
Rupple had a condition that causes dizziness, seizures and blackouts at the time, but he allegedly did not tell the school district about the symptoms so he could get the job, prosecutors allege.
Rupple also was accused of failing to tell a doctor about the health issues when he was being examined for his commercial driver’s license, prosecutors allege.
— City News Service