MILLER
The father of a young man seen fighting on a Union Local school bus in a social media video made a brief appearance Thursday in Belmont County Western Division Court.
David Miller, 50, of 42600 National Road Lot 65, Belmont, appeared briefly before Judge Eric Costine and pleaded not guilty to aggravated menacing for allegedly threatening the bus driver who was seen on video breaking the fight and holding back Miller’s son.
The video shows the boy shouting abuse at the driver and apparently hitting him. Miller’s threats allegedly occurred after the child was dropped off. Costine said the crime is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail.
School officials and the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and found that the driver had acted appropriately.
Miller requested representation by the public defender, saying he was unemployed.
Costine set Miller’s pretrial conference for May 23 and released him on a recognizance bond, adding that he should have no contact or communication with the driver.
The boy was arrested after the fight for allegedly making threats against the school on social media. Belmont County Juvenile Court Judge Al Davies said the 14-year-old has been released from the Sargus Juvenile Detention Center.
The boy faces two counts of assault and one count of making false alarms.
“He was prosecuted on the complaint that had been filed,” Davies said, adding that the attorney refused and requested a pretrial hearing.
“He was released from the detention center (last week) subject to certain court orders, one of which is that he is not allowed to be on property owned or managed by the Union Local Board of Education. I understand he had been expelled. I also ordered that he not be allowed to use any electronic devices,” Davies said, adding that a pre-trial conference will be scheduled.
The local Union School District could not be reached for comment.
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