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Semi Driver Charged For Passing School Bus, Nearly Hitting Girl

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 48-year-old semi-truck driver is accused of illegally passing a school bus in a May incident where he nearly hit a girl getting on the bus in Kandiyohi County, according to court documents.

Allen Howard Morris of Apple Valley was charged with passing a school bus on the right with flashing lights and signals displayed and passing a school bus with its stop signal extended and red lights flashing while other drivers were stopped. Both charges are misdemeanors.

The incident happened May 30 on Highway 23 near New London and Paynesville when sixth grader Alexis Schwartz was waiting for her school bus. The bus driver turned the flashing lights on and put the stop arm up in position when the truck driver, later identified as Morris, drove at a high rate of speed between the bus and the shoulder.

Schwartz told WCCO-TV back in June that the semi-truck nearly drove over her feet and once she got on the bus, she started crying. Her bus driver thought she had been hit and was dead.

A few days later, Morris turned himself into authorities once a YouTube video of the incident from a dash cam was released.

Morris is scheduled to appear in Kandiyohi County Court on Sept. 10. The misdemeanors each carry a possible year in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.

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