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Escambia County School Bus Drivers To Attend Funeral Of Driver Shot, Killed In Alabama
February 2, 2013
Dozens of Escambia County School District bus drivers will attend the funeral Sunday of a bus driver shot and killed near Midland City, Ala.
When an armed gunman boarded his bus Tuesday and demanded to take all of the students, driver Charles Albert Poland, 66, refused. He was shot four times and died protecting all of the students, except one, was safely escaped bus 04-2.
A 5-year old kindergartener was kidnapped by Jimmy Lee Dykes and held in an underground bunker.
Poland had driven for the Dale County Board of Eduction for three years. After his route, he and his wife Jan would share a cup of coffee and watch the sunset, or listen to the Alabama ran, she told the Dothan Eagle.
They would sometimes recite their favorite Bible verse:
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. – 2 Timothy 1:12
Poland, by all accounts, love his simple life, and loved the children on his bus.
He loved them. He loved everybody and he was loved,” Jan Poland told the Dothan Eagle.
“I am proud of a group of Escambia bus drivers that will be attending the funeral of the bus driver that was killed earlier this week near Dothan. This is a remarkable gesture to communicate respect and recognition for all bus drivers that would be willing to shield and protect their cargo (our students),” Escambia County Superintendent of Education Malcolm Thomas wrote on his Facebook page Friday.
Pictured: Bus driver Charles Albert Poland, Photo courtesy the Dothan Eagle for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
7 Responses to “Escambia County School Bus Drivers To Attend Funeral Of Driver Shot, Killed In Alabama”
May this genttleman rest in peace. May he also be remembered as the HERO he is.
Amen Randy.
Most have no idea what it is like to be a school bus driver. Protecting that cargo is priority #1. I did this for several years. It is a huge responsibility. May God’s Perfect Peace saturate this brave man’s family, friends, co-workers and his young riders.
I’m proud to say I work for this school district supports
Our hearts go out to one of our own,knowing that he did as all of us would have done to protect “Our” kids,when they step up on the bus from the moment they step down off the school bus the childrens safety is our first concern. we all would have done whatever it took to save one of our kids also. This bus driver is and always will be in the Hearts of all the Drivers everywhere who ride that little yellow school bus.Walk with Angels, Respectfully, Mary
HERO
This gentleman should be remembered as a hero…he probably saved more children from the kidnapper, and from possibly being killed or injured. My very deepest sympathy to the family and my upmost respect and thanks for what he did for the children.