Police: Commack School Bus Aide Assaulted Disabled Boy

Suffolk County Police arrested a Commack bus aide after he allegedly grabbed, twisted and fractured the arm of a 5-year-old disabled student.

According to police, Richard Mason, a bus aide for Acme Bus Corp., was riding in a bus in Commack Sept. 30 at approximately 4 p.m. when he, in an attempt at discipline, grabbed the arm of a 5-year-old developmentally disabled boy and twisted it behind the student’s back. The students on the bus attend North Ridge Elementary School, police said.

Following an investigation by Special Victims Section detectives, Mason, 39, of Brentwood, was arrested Wednesday and charged with assault in the third degree and acting in a manner to injure a child.

The school district released the following statement Thursday:

"As soon as we learned of the allegations, we immediately confirmed that the defendant had been removed from any and all District routes and will have no contact with our students. ACME has assured the District that the driver assistant had been properly screened and trained and that he had no prior incidents.  The District will fully cooperate with the police in their investigation and, as always, the safety and welfare of children is our paramount concern."

Mason will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Thursday.