A 12-year-old boy has died after being run over by a school bus in Rockland, Maine.
The collision happened around 2:20 p.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 21, at the intersection of Eliza Steele Drive and Broadway, according to a press release from the Rockland Police Department.
The victim, identified by family as 12-year-old Brayden Callahan, was a Regional School Unit 13 student, ABC affiliate WMTW reported. Police said he suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by the bus.
Callahan, a student at Oceanside Middle School, had just gotten off the bus and was crossing the street when he was run over, according to CBS affiliate WGME. A police report stated that the bus driver’s eyes were not on the road at the time of the crash.
Callahan was first taken to a nearby hospital and then airlifted to Maine Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
“It’s like a bad nightmare right now that unfortunately we can’t wake up from,” his grandmother, Peggy DeVarney, told WGME.
In an update shared on Monday, Nov. 24, police said the bus driver had been placed on administrative leave.
The driver was identified as 65-year-old Jeffrey Colburn. According to WMTW, Colburn was convicted in June 2015 of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and his license was suspended for 150 days as a result, per court documents cited by the outlet.
Maine law reportedly bars individuals with that type of conviction from driving a school bus for at least 10 years. Parents in the district told WMTW that Colburn had been driving a bus long before June 2025.
Colburn is not currently facing charges in connection with the crash, WMTW reported.
Superintendent John McDonald said in a letter to families on Sunday, Nov. 23, that classes were canceled 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. “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 released Friday, officials with the RSU 13 school district said counseling services would be available for students and staff who need support.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” the district said. “We are working closely with local law enforcement and emergency responders as they investigate this incident.”
A memorial has been set up at the intersection where the crash occurred, WGME reported.
DeVarney said she is “so happy” to see how 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,” she said, “and no parents should ever have to bury their child, especially under these circumstances.”
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing. Police said RSU 13 “is fully cooperating with the investigation” and asked the community to keep Callahan’s family in their thoughts and prayers, offering their “sincerest condolences.”
