IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — A man accused of nearly hitting two students at a bus stop in Iredell County Thursday morning has been arrested, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed.
Troopers seized the vehicle that nearly hit two the girls while speeding around a school bus in Iredell County Thursday morning.
The terrifying incident, which happened on Old Mountain Road, was caught on camera and released by Iredell-Statesville Schools Thursday afternoon.
The driver, identified as 35-year-old Joseph Graham Padgett Jr. of Statesville, was arrested Saturday around 2 a.m., according to officials. He had warrants out for his arrest for passing a stopped school bus, driving while his license was revoked, careless and reckless driving, and improper passing.
Padgett was being held at the Iredell County Detention Center under a $20,000 bond, according to the highway patrol. As of 1 a.m. Sunday, Padget had bailed out and is now out of custody.
The two girls in the video are physically OK and safely made it to school. Their mother told WCNC Charlotte they're shaken up and the family hopes the driver will face consequences.
"Literally within eye's view and inches could've changed her life, could've changed our whole life," she said. "Could've hurt her ... could've killed her."
The mother didn't want to be shown on camera but she told WCNC Charlotte the Kia Soul went around several cars that were stopped behind the bus before cutting in front of it, blatantly ignoring the stop sign and flashing red lights.
"I was anxious, I was scared," she said. "I was so, so angry."
More than 24 hours later, state troopers seized the car and it was towed away, passing the elementary school and bus stop. Troopers are urging drivers everywhere to slow down and take extra caution around school buses.
"Don't ever assume there's not a kid out there just because you don't see one," Master Trooper Chris Casey said. "As soon as you see that stopped school bus with the lights, please stop. Obey the law."
The kids' mother is hoping to talk with the school district about changing the bus route so they don't have to cross the street at all. She said people speed around the curve regularly and that this isn't the first time someone has passed the stopped bus.
It's another scary incident along the busy road in Iredell County. Parents of students at South Iredell High School also complained about a dangerous crosswalk near the school, telling WCNC Charlotte drivers constantly speed through the area, even during school zone hours.
"People fly up and down that road," one man said. "Speed limit's 35 by the school. People got to be running 50 or 55, sometimes 60 mph."
Last year, Highway Patrol investigated five cases involving drivers passing school buses in Iredell County.
This one was one of the closest calls, just inches from tragedy.
"It was awful. That little child almost got hurt, almost got hit and possibly could've gotten killed," Casey said. "Videos like that, speaking from a parent's side, it's just horrible to watch."
Contact Chloe Leshner at cleshner@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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