Teen charged with assaulting officer on Beaufort County school bus

A Beaufort County teenager was detained Friday for allegedly striking a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Deputy on a school bus in transit from the Right Choices Alternative School.

The driver of the bus called sheriff’s deputies to the parking lot of St. Helena Elementary on Friday afternoon with reports of possible drug use by juveniles on the bus, according to a sheriff’s office release.

Upon arrival, deputies were directed to the back of the bus by the driver, who identified the teens involved in the complaint, the sheriff’s department reported.

A male deputy asked a teenage boy to exit the bus and was greeted with profanity, the release states. The teen then allegedly struck the deputy in the chin with his elbow, the sheriff’s office reported. After a brief struggle, the teen was removed from the bus and detained by deputies.

The teen, who has not been identified as he is a minor, was transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia on charges of assault and battery and interfering with the lawful operation of a school bus. The deputy sustained a minor injury during the incident, but has returned to duty, the release states.

No illegal drugs were found on the bus or in the possession of the detained teen.

This story was originally published February 27, 2016 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Teen charged with assaulting officer on Beaufort County school bus."