Southeast Delco bus aide charged in student assault
DARBY TOWNSHIP >> A Southeast Delco school bus aide is on administrative leave after his arrest following an alleged physical confrontation with a student, according to court records and the school district.
Justin A. Iverson-Fairfax, 20, of the 600 block of Poplar Street in Sharon Hill, is charged with simple assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, harassment and disorderly conduct in connection with the Nov. 29 incident.
It was shortly before 3:30 p.m. when Collingdale police were initially dispatched to MacDade Boulevard and Lafayette Avenue for an assault report that occurred on Southeast Delco School Bus No. 31. As part of their investigation, Iverson-Fairfax was identified as a bus aide, detained and then transported to Collingdale police headquarters by Officer James MacIntosh and Cpl. Patrick Crozier for questioning.
After speaking with a student and his mother, police determined the alleged assault occurred on the bus as it was parked in front of Darby Township Elementary School on West Ashland Avenue in Darby Township. At that point, Darby Township Patrolman Nicholas Pascale responded to Collingdale to take a report.
Pascale met with the student and his mother in the lobby of the police department. He noticed the juvenile’s left eye was swollen. The student told Pascale that when he got on the bus after dismissal, neither the bus driver nor the aide were on the bus.
When the student saw them walking out of a nearby pizza shop and as they began to enter the bus, the student yelled, “What did you buy the whole store” to a friend he was sitting near on the bus, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Iverson-Fairfax’s arrest, authored by Pascale.
The student told police that Iverson-Fairfax heard the comment, confronted him and then punched him in the stomach and left eye, the affidavit states.
The student told police he was not permitted to call his mother. He had to wait until he reached the bus stop to tell her.
“Upon arriving at the bus stop, (the student’s) mother blocked the bus and called 911 once she saw his injuries,” the affidavit states.
The mother told police that her other son, also a juvenile, witnessed the altercation. When the mother told police she wanted to take her injured son to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for emergency evaluation, Pascale told her to, but requested that she return with her sons to Darby Township police headquarters afternoon to provide written statements. The mother agreed.
Iverson-Fairfax, now in custody in Darby Township, reportedly admitted to striking the student, but stated he “only gave him a leg shot,” the affidavit states.
Two students who were on the bus provided statements to police that were consistent that a physical altercation occurred, and that Iverson-Fairfax struck the victim, the affidavit states.
In a letter to the community dated Nov. 30, the Southeast Delco School District confirmed “with extreme disappointment and great concern” that a bus aide was arrested after a physical altercation with a student the day before.
“The Darby Township Police Department continues to investigate the case,” the letter states. “The school principal has had contact with the part of the student involved to offer assistance and will continue to support the student and family throughout this situation.”
When school administrators were alerted to the incident, according to the letter, “They immediately investigated the matter. The bus aide was placed on administrative leave and will have no contact with our students.”
The letter assured the community that IversonFairfax passed all child abuse and criminal history clearances.
“The safety and welfare of our students is our utmost concern, and we are aware of how difficult this situation will be for our school community,” the letter states. “We understand that the allegations against the bus aide are extremely disturbing.”
Counseling staff will be available to students affected by the incident.
Iverson-Fairfax is free on 10 percent of $25,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is listed for Dec. 12 before Magisterial District Judge Steven A. Sandone. It was not immediately known if Iverson-Fairfax had retained an attorney.
Darby Township Police Officer Craig White assisted in the initial investigation.