Overview
- Jean Charles, arraigned Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court, pleaded not guilty and was released on $15,000 bail with orders not to drive and to surrender his passport.
- Prosecutors say Charles missed the designated stop on April 28, 2025, dropped Lens Joseph across from his home, waited only seconds, then drove forward and ran over the child.
- In court, prosecutors alleged he skipped a required pre-trip check that would have grounded the bus for a broken front crossing arm and a flat rear-left tire; that arm is designed to force children to walk far enough in front of the bus to stay in the driver’s view.
- Officials described corroborating evidence that includes bus dashcam video and witness accounts, and they noted separate incidents involving Charles, including an unreported collision earlier that day and a pending August 2025 hit-and-run case in Brockton.
- Records and prior reviews show Charles’ school-bus certificate had lapsed months before the crash and that Transdev and Boston Public Schools faced scrutiny over driver vetting and recordkeeping, while the family’s civil suit seeks accountability and wider safety upgrades such as crossing arms and pedestrian sensors.