A school bus driver employed by the Bulloch County School System has been arrested for Simple Battery.
According to incident reports released by the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, School Resource Officer (SRO) Ross Newman responded to Nevils Elementary School on May 17 in regards to a simple battery incident.
The incident narrative reads:
“On the above time and date I responded to Nevils Elementary in regards to a simple battery that occurred on 5/15/24 on a bus. The listed offender will be charged accordingly.“
The listed offender on the report is 65-year-old William Henry Ponder of Statesboro. The “weapon type” on the report lists “hands/fists” and the complainant name is the Assistant Principal at Nevils Elementary, Marla Sumner, however the complainant in a mandatory reporter situation is not always a party to the incident.
Under Georgia law, Simple Battery is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to one year in jail and $1,000 fine.
According to OpenGeorgia, a portal that lists all public employees within local school systems and the state, Ponder is a bus driver for Bulloch County Schools.
This story is developing…Check back for updates.
A request for comment from Bulloch County Schools for the employment status of Ponder has been sent.
