HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – A Horry County mother is accusing Horry County Schools and one of its former bus drivers of negligence after her child’s arm got stuck in a school bus door.
The 8-year-old girl’s mother, Stephanie McInnis, filed the lawsuit, which was announced on Wednesday, listing herself and her child as the plaintiffs. The suit names Horry County Schools and former HCS bus driver Thomas Interlandi as the defendants and claims they are responsible for hurting the child.
McInnis’ child was a student at Pee Dee Elementary School and was riding the school bus home on the afternoon of Aug. 25, 2023.
The family told WMBF News the girl fell asleep on the bus and missed her normal stop. They said that’s when Interlandi tried to drop the girl off at a different stop.
According to her family, the girl noticed dogs near the bus stop. The lawsuit stated Interlandi demanded the girl get off the bus, but she told him there were dogs out there scaring her. Her family said they had a history with those particular dogs.
“Those dogs are vicious. I know these dogs. Where they tried to put her off at, the stop is right in front of the house with these dogs. That’s why most of the parents be up there with their cars to get their child. They don’t let their child walk from that stop,” the girl’s grandmother, Monlisa Graham said.
The lawsuit alleges that Interlandi shut her arm in the bus door and drove in reverse until he got to the previous stop while refusing to open the door.
As her arm was stuck, the bus driver allegedly told the girl she “shouldn’t have put her hand there” and it “serves her right” that her arm got stuck in the door.
The girl was let out at the previous stop, and Interlandi allegedly said aloud, “You see what I have to go through.”
Tyler Bailey, the family’s attorney, said it shouldn’t have gotten that far.
“The bus driver, Mr. Interlandi along with an aide clearly see her arm there. She’s saying her arm is stuck. The bus driver says she deserves it essentially. ‘You shouldn’t have put your hand out there,’” he said.
A video of the incident can be viewed below:
McInnis’ lawsuit also claims there was an aide on the bus who didn’t intervene.
The child suffered “severe physical injuries to her left wrist/arm that was trapped in the door that required medical attention,” the lawsuit reads.
McInnis claims the incident was an “inhumane abuse of official power and shocking to the conscience” and violated the child’s civil rights.
The family said it would have been different if they were behind the wheel.
“If we rode down the road with our child’s arm stuck in the door, we would go to jail,” Graham said.
She also accuses Horry County Schools of negligent hiring.
Bailey said the school can still make this right.
“Hopefully the district reaches out and does everything in their power to make this right. They have the opportunity to do so still today. Ms. McInnis would much rather have this behind her so she can focus on her recovery, and her daughter’s recovery,” he said.
Horry County Schools provided the following statement to WMBF News on Wednesday:
McInnis is asking for a jury trial with actual, incidental, consequential damages on all causes of action. She is asking for punitive damages on the third, fourth, and fifth cause of action.
Graham said her family is going to continue to fight.
“We will get justice for my granddaughter. We going [to] get it soon. One way or another. Either by them or by God’s will,” she said.
McInnis’s child is no longer enrolled at HCS.
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