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Former School Bus Driver Accused of Igniting a Bus Full of Children is Indicted.

Blunderbuss Firozabad

Blunderbuss Firozabad

Made of Pumpkin pie
Bold Member!
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Utah

"Investigators suspect Michael Austin Ford, 58, started school bus fires on Feb. 24, 2022, and April 7, 2023, according to charging documents. He was also driving when two other buses ignited, the documents state, including one “dramatic display” that partially engulfed a school bus in 2017 but caused no injures, The Associated Press reported. The fires all originated from beneath each bus’s dashboard."

"in February 2022, Ford allegedly set a Granite School District school bus on fire that had 42 children inside and did so while driving in traffic. As alleged in court documents, Ford used an ignition device to start a fire on the bus and was captured on video continuing to drive the bus, despite smoke billowing past his face towards the back of the bus where children were seated. "

"In April 2023, Ford was again driving a Granite School District bus in traffic when he was captured on video igniting a fire on the bus. Again, Ford continued to drive the bus with smoke billowing past his face. Days later, in April 2023, Ford was arrested by Granite School Police and questioned about the fire but was released.


Charging documents state that Ford had repeatedly disabled bus surveillance systems or had “issues with the system.” That, coupled with the fires, led the district to alter the equipment to keep recording after it had been turned off. Horsley said they also adjusted camera angles to better capture Ford’s actions.

That’s how cameras recorded Ford using a lighter to ignite electrical components beneath his bus’s dashboard on April 7, according to the charging documents.

Fires have also broken out at two of Ford’s homes and in one of his personal vehicles, the charging documents state.""






Former School Bus Driver Accused of Igniting a Bus Full of Children is Indicted and Detained | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SALT LAKE CITY — Michael Austin Ford, 58, of West Valley City, a former Granite School District bus driver, was ordered detained March 1 by a U.S. magistrate judge after he was accused of setting the school bus on fire on two occasions. Ford was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 21 for...
www.atf.gov www.atf.gov
 
"Ford is charged with two counts of arson of a vehicle of an organization receiving federal funds."

Let's see...

(C/p from "Find Law":

  • Federal criminal penalties are severe. If convicted, an arsonist could face 25 years in prison or life in prison if the life of any person is placed in jeopardy during the fire. Federal arson laws also punish the attempt to commit arson or to enter into a conspiracy to commit arson.
Ok but do we know if the duo charges are felonies?

"Arson is a felony because of the potential to cause serious bodily injury or death. Some states have different degrees of arson, depending on the intent behind the arson. Arson of an occupied building is charged differently [=more severely] than arson involving insurance fraud."
Post automatically merged:

notausername said:
"Ford is charged with two counts of arson of a vehicle of an organization receiving federal funds."

Let's see...

(C/p from "Find Law":

  • Federal criminal penalties are severe. If convicted, an arsonist could face 25 years in prison or life in prison if the life of any person is placed in jeopardy during the fire. Federal arson laws also punish the attempt to commit arson or to enter into a conspiracy to commit arson.
Ok but do we know if the modern ape's duo charges are felonies?

"Arson is a felony because of the potential to cause serious bodily injury or death. Some states have different degrees of arson, depending on the intent behind the arson. Arson of an occupied building is charged differently [=more severely] than arson involving insurance fraud."
Click to expand...
That's a relief.

42 children?
Callous ape.
 
Last edited:
notausername said:
"Ford is charged with two counts of arson of a vehicle of an organization receiving federal funds."

Let's see...

(C/p from "Find Law":

  • Federal criminal penalties are severe. If convicted, an arsonist could face 25 years in prison or life in prison if the life of any person is placed in jeopardy during the fire. Federal arson laws also punish the attempt to commit arson or to enter into a conspiracy to commit arson.
Ok but do we know if the duo charges are felonies?

"Arson is a felony because of the potential to cause serious bodily injury or death. Some states have different degrees of arson, depending on the intent behind the arson. Arson of an occupied building is charged differently [=more severely] than arson involving insurance fraud."
Post automatically merged:


That's a relief.

42 children?
Callous ape.
Click to expand...
We're you musing about if the arson of occupied building was equivalent to the arson of any enclosed occupied space, whether it be mobile OR stationary? like a bus?
Betcha maritime law addresses comparable conditions with more thoroughness.
Interesting question
*****

This bus driver. I keep trying to see a pattern to his motivations.
The only one I could venture is that he was angry at a third party but not the same one every time or from the same authority group.

He did it alone, with kids, to his own apartment.

Or maybe it's simply a compulsion with a -mania component we can only come close to understanding by simplifying it to a one or two word wrap up which drives us away from any real comprehension anyway?
 
Blunderbuss Firozabad said:
We're you musing about if the arson of occupied building was equivalent to the arson of any enclosed occupied space, whether it be mobile OR stationary? like a bus?
Betcha maritime law addresses comparable conditions with more thoroughness.
Interesting question
*****

This bus driver. I keep trying to see a pattern to his motivations.
The only one I could venture is that he was angry at a third party but not the same one every time or from the same authority group.

He did it alone, with kids, to his own apartment.

Or maybe it's simply a compulsion with a -mania component we can only come close to understanding by simplifying it to a one or two word wrap up which drives us away from any real comprehension anyway?
Click to expand...
Yes! I couldn't find anything more specific than that on the justice.gov website, but I was curious to know the ballpark.



Fair enough. How much of it was mental illness vs. malicious intent?

In a lot of ways, pedophilia is also a mental illness.

Idk, as someone living with mental illness (like I know many of you in these forums do as well), my sympathy is limited when it comes to hurting others.

If you feel that urge and don't do something about it (other than give in to the urges and go on your merry way)...

Unless it's the rare case of cognitive disability to the point of not being able to tell right from wrong / inability to foresee consequences, which I highly doubt this man, who has made it this far in life, suffers from...

Can't make assumptions, but this man wasn't without the resources to help himself if he was a raging pyromaniac (i.e. money). Compared to a lot of homeless or desperate people who live in dire circumstances/poverty dealing with those kinds of issues.

Therein lies my disdain.

It's easier to keep going after the rush, pushing the limits ad nauseum, regardless of if it puts other people's children in danger.

Hope that clears up the dismissive nature of my word: callous.

I don't think he did this BECAUSE he was mentally ill. I think he did it because he doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself. Or at least, didn't in those moments of (planned or unplanned) pyromania, and every moment in between (where he could've gotten help).

He had opportunity at every turn to do something about this disaster in the making. Yet here we are.
 
Last edited:
Angiebla said:
What I dont understand is why did he start the bus on fire while he was in it?
Click to expand...
Ikr? The image of "smoke billowing past his head" has stuck with me.
Kids screaming and coughing, people pointing-that seems like the opposite of a stress relief.

Putting himself in danger, burning his own things? Jeapordizing his job.?

"While authorities were investigating the incidents, Ford's home and personal vehicle were severely damaged by fire in October of 2023... It was the second time Ford's home had sustained serious damage due to fire."

"Ford also acknowledged two other personal vehicle fires to investigators, as well as acknowledged his involvement in three other bus fires, dating back to around 2001 or 2002, 2016 and 2017."
 
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