NEED TO KNOW
- A 12-year-old Maine student has died after he was run over by a school bus moments after exiting the vehicle
- The victim has been identified as Brayden Callahan, a student at Oceanside Middle School
- The bus driver, who has a previous OUI conviction, was placed on leave following the crash
A 12-year-old student has died after he was run over by a school bus in Maine.
The fatal collision occurred at the intersection of Eliza Steele Drive and Broadway in Rockland at about 2:20 p.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 21, according to a press release from the Rockland Police Department.
Police said a Regional School Unit 13 student — identified by family as 12-year-old Brayden Callahan, according to ABC affiliate WMTW — sustained life-threatening injuries when he was hit by the bus.
Police said Callahan, a student at Oceanside Middle School, had just exited the bus and was crossing the street when he was run over, according to CBS affiliate WGME. A police report stated the bus driver’s eyes were not on the road at the time of the crash.
The boy was transported to a nearby hospital and then life-flighted to Maine Medical Center, but he ultimately died from his injuries.
“It’s like a bad nightmare right now that unfortunately we can’t wake up from,” Peggy DeVarney, Callahan’s grandmother, told WGME.
In an update shared on Monday, Nov. 24, the police said the bus driver involved in the crash “has been placed on administrative leave.”
That driver, 65-year-old Jeffrey Colburn, was convicted in June 2015 of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, according to WMTW. His license was suspended for 150 days as a result, according to the report, which cited court documents.
Maine law reportedly prevents those with such a conviction from driving a school bus for at least 10 years. However, parents in the district told WMTW that he had been driving the bus long before June 2025.
Colburn currently is not facing charges in connection with the crash, WMTW reported.
The Rockland Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Superintendent John McDonald announced in a letter to families on Sunday, Nov. 23, that classes were cancelled for Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 25, according to WMTW.
“We know this has been a very difficult weekend for our students and for the broader community,” McDonald said. He added, “We look forward to bringing all students back into their familiar environments on Monday, December 1st to restore a sense of routine and continue to provide support.”
In a statement shared on Friday, officials with the RSU 13 school district said, “Counseling services will be available for students and staff who may need support during this difficult time.”
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” the school district said in the statement. “We are working closely with local law enforcement and emergency responders as they investigate this incident.”
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A memorial has been erected at the intersection where the fatal crash claimed the young student’s life, according to WGME.
DeVarney said she is “so happy” that so many people care about her grandson. “[It] makes me feel better that we’re not in this alone,” she told WGME, adding that Callahan was “a sweet, sweet little boy.”
“No family should have to go through this,” the grandmother added, “and no parents should ever have to bury their child, especially under these circumstances.”
An investigation into the crash is ongoing. Police confirmed that RSU 13 “is fully cooperating with the investigation.”
“We ask that our community keep the victim and their family in their thoughts and prayers and would like to offer our sincerest condolences,” police said.
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