School bus owner injures female student with emergency hammer: Taken into custody

In the rural neighborhood of Çeribaşı, A.K. (17), a student at a high school in Bigadiç under the bussing system, and H.Y. (75), the owner of the minibus, began arguing on the way back from the district to the neighborhood on June 3.

As the argument escalated, H.Y. grabbed the emergency hammer from the vehicle and struck the student on the head.

The fight ended after others in the vehicle intervened. The injured student's father, R.K., filed a complaint against H.Y.

Upon the situation being reported to the gendarmerie, teams took H.Y. into custody.

PROCESS INITIATED TO TERMINATE CONTRACT

A written statement regarding the matter was also issued by the Balıkesir Provincial Directorate of National Education.

The statement noted that the process for terminating the bus service contract had been initiated and that an inspector had been appointed by the Balıkesir Governor's Office to investigate the matter.

The injured student, A.K., also explained in a video statement that she had boarded the bus to go home and had stretched her leg toward the seat.

Stating that the bus driver told her to move her leg, A.K. said, "When I asked why I should move my leg, he insulted me and started hitting my legs. I said, 'Don't hit my legs, if you hit me again, I will hit your head with the water bottle in my hand.' When I said that, he took the water bottle from my hand and spat on me, then I spat on him. He pulled my headscarf by undoing my hair and then hit my face several times with the emergency hammer. He made my nose and mouth bleed. I am filing a complaint against him."

Meanwhile, the moments when the suspect assaulted the student and struck her on the head with the emergency hammer were recorded by other students on their mobile phone cameras.