Mandurah, WA: Horror after bus driver allegedly drove off with 12-year-old Jeremy Thompson’s foot trapped in the door and dragged him 300m
A 12-year-old boy suffered ‘horrific’ injuries when a bus driver allegedly drove off with the boy’s foot trapped in the vehicle’s door, dragging him 300 metres.
Schoolboy Jeremy Thompson boarded a bus with friends in Mandurah, Western Australia, 71 kilometers south of the capital Perth.
But before he was fully on the bus, the driver allegedly closed the door and drove off, crushing Jeremy’s pelvis and hand and tearing the skin from his back.
His friends and other witnesses shouted what was happening, but the driver reportedly accelerated and dragged the boy across the road.
“I put one foot on the bus, he closed it and dragged me from the bus stop all the way to the lights,” Jeremy said 9News.
Schoolboy Jeremy Thompson (pictured) was seriously injured when a bus driver allegedly trapped his foot in the vehicle’s door and drove off, dragging him for 300 metres.
‘If I had leaned back more, my head would have gone into the steering wheel.
“He just closed the doors, the boys told him to stop and they liked it, kicked the door and stuff… told him to stop, but he just kept going.”
Witness Jamie Phillips said she chased the bus and shouted at the driver to stop.
“I heard a boy shouting and banging, ‘Let me in, let me in,’ and when I turned around it was like he was clearly banging on the bus door,” she said.
“So he started jumping and then lost his balance and then got dragged by the bus.”
Jeremy was reportedly dragged along the busy Pinjarra Road, which has a 60km/h speed limit, before the driver stopped at the traffic lights at the Mandurah Road junction.
Witnesses said he opened the door to release the boy and then drove away.
The boy was taken to Peel Health Campus and then transferred to Perth Children’s Hospital where he received two skin grafts.
The Public Transport Authority (PTA) said the bus driver had been detained pending an investigation.
“During the incident, a 12-year-old boy had his foot stuck in the door and was injured after being dragged by the bus,” the statement said.
‘The PTA can confirm that the driver of the bus has now been dismissed by our contractor.
‘As the matter is under investigation by police, we are unable to comment further at this time.
“The PTA and its contractor are assisting with the investigation.”
WA Premier Roger Cook said Jeremy’s were “horrific” and there may be a police investigation into what happened.
Witness Jamie Phillips (pictured) said she chased the bus and shouted at the driver to stop
“I put one foot on the bus and he closed it and dragged me from the bus stop all the way to the lights,” Jeremy said. A Transperth bus door is shown
“This is a very disturbing report and I believe the bus driver involved has been fired,” Cook said.
“The PTA will conduct a thorough investigation and possibly the police as well.”
Jeremy’s grandmother Brenda Hart – who he had been traveling by bus with – said the trauma had given him nightmares.
“He wakes up screaming at night, so I have to try to get some guidance for that,” she said.