Shocking video shows the moment a father struck a staffer at his son’s school aboard a school bus, police say.
The unsettling clip was filmed by one of several middle schoolers who witnessed the alleged altercation, which Florida cops said came after 50-year-old Esdra Burges-Cruz became irate over his son being temporarily banned from said bus.
The footage of the May 2 altercation is now being used in a case against the Ocala dad, who was arrested the next day after the student who filmed the snippet handed it to an on-campus deputy.
Cops in Marion County say it shows Burges-Cruz menacing the unnamed victim, who hours before wrote school referrals barring the man’s son – and another unnamed student – from riding the bus due to unspecified behavioral issues.
After deputies reviewed the video, Burges-Cruz was tracked down to his home in Ocala, a few miles from Lake Weir Middle School in Summerfield, and arrested on probable cause for battery.
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Shocking video shows the moment a father struck a staffer at his son’s school aboard a school bus, police say
The unsettling clip was filmed by one of several middle schoolers who witnessed the alleged altercation, which Florida cops said came after 50-year-old Esdra Burges-Cruz became irate over his son being banned from said bus. He was arrested and is out on $17,500 bond
‘This is going to be the last time! [The] last time!’ the irate dad can be heard repeating in the clip, before appearing to strike the unidentified aide in the chest.
The dad, however, told WESH 2 that he did not hit the employee, but simply snatched a piece of paper from him showing that his son had had his bus privileges suspended. It is not immediately clear why.
According to an accompanying police report, shortly before, Burges-Cruz bombarded the school staffer with threats, telling him ‘that if anything else happened to his son, the victim “would see what’s going to happen.”‘
Burges-Cruz refused meet with the Daytona Beach outlet after being release on bond a day after his arrest, which itself came, a day after the incident was reported by the victim – hours after it happened.
The deputy interviewed the bus driver who corroborated the victim’s statement, though he did not witness the supposed strike.
Later in the day, deputies visited to the father’s home, during which he ‘denied touching the victim.’
On May 3, a student provided the cell phone video to the on-campus officer – and the arrest was made.
While not clear from the footage, officers wrote that Burges-Cruz immediately confronted the school aide while walking on the bus
The footage of the May 2 altercation is now being used in a case against the Ocala dad, who was arrested the next day after the student who filmed the snippet handed it to an on-campus deputy
After deputies reviewed the video, Burges-Cruz was tracked down to his home in Ocala, a few miles from Lake Weir Middle School in Summerfield, and arrested on probable cause for battery
Cops in Marion County say it shows Burges-Cruz menacing the unnamed victim, who hours before wrote school referrals barring the man’s son – and another unnamed student – from riding the bus due to unspecified behavioral issues
The suspect’s son attends Lake Weir Middle School in Summerfield, though the incident took place at a bus stop in nearby Ocala
‘Shut the [f**k] up!’ the father reportedly said to the staffer as he got on, appearing increasingly confrontational.
Cops said his son and the other student had been riding the bus earlier that day, spurring their suspension.
They maintain the man became upset after learning of his son’s suspension – and say the video that spurred his arrest serves as proof.
Now out on $17,5000, Burges-Cruz faces felony counts of battery on a public or private education employee, burglary, and disturbing peace.
Cops noted in their report that the video showed Burges-Cruz ‘taking an aggressive stance’ towards the victim, ‘within a foot’ of his person while aggressively pointing his finger and grabbing the lanyard around his neck.
The bus stop where the altercation occurred was in Ocala, where the father and son live.
A court date has not yet been scheduled.
