Charges Dropped Against Bus Driver In Locked Passenger Case

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VERNON, Conn. (CBS/AP) — The lawyer for a bus driver who had been charged with locking a passenger in the vehicle's luggage compartment says the criminal case has been dropped.

Attorney Nate Baber tells The Boston Globe that Wendy Alberty is no longer facing reckless endangerment, unlawful restraint, and breach of peace charges.

The 49-year-old New Jersey woman was charged after Connecticut State Police received a 911 call Aug. 4 from a New York woman who said she was locked inside the compartment of the Peter Ban bus while retrieving items from her bag.

After dialing 911, the woman trapped under the bus remained calm.

Caller: "The bus driver locked me underneath the bus, on the Peter Pan bus going en route to Boston."
State Police: "OK the."
Caller:"Can you hear me?"
State Police:"Right. The bus driver is under the bus?"
Caller:"No, she locked me under the bus with the luggage."
State Police:"She locked you under the bus?"
Caller:"Yes. Yes. I'm under the bus with the luggage, and I'm afraid, I don't know if she's ever gonna, like, I need help. Nobody knows where I am."

Police found the woman when they pulled the bus over in Union, Connecticut.

Baber said his client's actions were unintentional. Springfield, Massachusetts-based Peter Pan called Alberty an "exemplary" employee. A company official said he did not think Alberty acted intentionally.

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