A day after the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office released details of a violent school bus assault involving a 7-year-old student, law enforcement and school officials held a press conference on May 1, 2025 to address public concerns and provide additional context to the ongoing investigation.
Captain Todd Hutchens of the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Charles Wilson, and Hayley Greene, Public Relations Director for Bulloch County Schools, spoke at the conference, confirming that seven students—ages 5 to 14—have been charged with battery after a group attack that took place on the morning of Friday, April 18. The incident occurred aboard a school bus en route to Mattie Lively Elementary School, and the 7-year-old victim suffered visible bruising.
The bus driver, identified as Joey Edwin Jackson, 70, was also arrested and charged with Failure to Report Child Abuse and Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree. As a mandated reporter, Jackson failed to notify authorities or his supervisors about the incident. He has since been terminated by the Bulloch County Board of Education, effective April 25.
“A Violent Attack”
Captain Hutchens described the incident as a “violent, multiple-on-one” assault captured on the school bus’s surveillance camera.
“One child came over the seat and used his feet to stomp on this 7-year-old,” Hutchens said. “It was loud, chaotic, and concerning. The bus driver did not intervene or report the incident,"
The sheriff’s office was first made aware of the attack on April 23, five days after it occurred, when a school resource officer received a report. Hutchens confirmed that all seven juveniles were processed on juvenile complaint forms and released to their parents. Their cases have been forwarded to the Department of Juvenile Justice for further proceedings.
The 7-year-old victim was evaluated by school medical staff but did not require hospitalization.
School System Response
Superintendent Wilson acknowledged a delay in the district’s awareness of the incident and noted that there is an internal review underway to determine where communication gaps occurred.
“We became aware on Monday and Tuesday following the incident, and it took some time to determine exactly what had happened and who failed to notify the proper channels,” Wilson said. “Once we understood the seriousness of the incident, we began taking action immediately.”
Wilson reinforced that all seven students involved have been suspended and that additional disciplinary measures are being taken in line with district policy.
“In accordance with our Student Code of Conduct, the students have been removed from their school environments,” Wilson said. “While federal privacy laws prevent us from discussing individual disciplinary outcomes, we want to assure parents that we take incidents like this seriously.”
Community Accountability
Both Hutchens and Wilson emphasized the need for community awareness, urging parents and students to review the district’s behavior expectations.
“This is a reminder that safety is non-negotiable,” Wilson said. “We owe every student a safe learning environment, and behavior like this will not be tolerated.”
Hutchens added that while charges against the parents of the students are not currently being pursued, the investigation remains open and those determinations will be made if appropriate.
Additional Information
The sheriff’s office is not releasing the surveillance video at this time, pending decisions by the District Attorney’s Office. The investigation continues to involve coordination between school administrators, law enforcement, and juvenile justice officials.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Sgt. Bubba Revell with the BCSO School Resource Division at (912) 486-5926.
