Person involved in Wellington school bus crash arrested for fraud
WELLINGTON, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday evening that one occupant of a vehicle that crashed into a school bus in Wellington has been arrested.
According to the sheriff’s office, detectives learned shortly before the crash occurred, at 2 p.m., that a male walked into a local bank and attempted to make a fraudulent withdrawal under a fictitious name. That prompted bank employees to call 911.
Officials said the suspect began to get nervous and walked out of the bank to an awaiting gold BMW which was believed to be occupied by four individuals.
The BMW took off at a high rate of speed, according to witnesses.
At around 2:15 p.m. the BMW rear-ended a school bus at the intersection of Aero Club Drive and Cedar Bluff Place, right next to Wellington Landings Middle School.
The school bus was transporting children from Binks Forest Elementary School.
PBSO said after the crash occurred two occupants inside the vehicle fled the scene and two occupants stayed behind, one of which is the suspect who attempted to make the fraudulent withdrawal.
Both occupants were transported to a local hospital.
The suspect who attempted to make the fraudulent withdrawal was arrested and charged with criminal use of personal identification, grand theft, forgery of a credit card and unauthorized possession of a driver’s license.
The investigation is active and ongoing, PBSO said.
