Wesley Chapel, Fla.-(Newsradio 970 WFLA)-An ESC assistant instructor at Wesley Chapel High School is facing charges for abusing a special needs student on a bus. Pasco County deputies say the two recent incidents were caught on video.
Investigators say 35 year-old Derek Simpson pushed the non-verbal autistic student down by the back of his head several times while the student was restrained to a seat on the bus by a four point harness.
Deputies say Simpson is seen on the video putting his entire body weight on the student and shoving his head down. Simpson is also said to have held the student's arms by the wrist while he jabbed the victim in the neck with his elbow.
Detectives say the student had back and other injuries as a result of the abuse.
Photo courtesy Pasco County Sheriff's Office