Bond revoked for man accused of assaulting school bus driver

A Cleveland Heights man accused of severely injuring a Willoughby school bus driver is back in jail after violating a condition of his bond by failing to show up for his scheduled Sept. 11 trial in Lake County Common Pleas Court.

Ronnie Haskins, 37, allegedly punched a 70-year-old Grant Elementary School bus driver

in the face March 2.

Haskins, who previously posted a $5,000 cash bond, is now being held without bond.

He is charged with felony counts of assault, which carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison, and inducing panic, which has a maximum penalty of 18 months behind bars.

His new trial date is Oct. 30 before Judge John P. O’Donnell.

According to police, they responded to the school, located at Hurricane Drive

off Lost Nation Road, at 4:25 p.m. that day for a disturbance in the parking lot. At the scene, officers learned that an assault had taken place inside one of the school buses.

The incident occurred when one of the buses was attempting to leave the school’s lot to take students home and an unknown car stopped along the bus.

Police allege Haskins stepped out of the side of the car and approached the bus doors. The bus

driver opened the doors to see what Haskins wanted. Haskins said he wanted to take his daughter off the bus and when the driver refused, Haskins allegedly threatened the bus driver. He then walked onto the bus and allegedly punched the driver in the face.

Haskins and his daughter walked off the bus and got into the stopped vehicle with an unknown woman waiting on the driver’s side. The car left before police arrived.

Police searched the area and other locations looking for several hours for the student. They learned later that evening the student was with her mother.

Haskins