BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- A mother is behind bars for attacking the driver of her children's school bus last year, an incident that rallied other school employees to call for more attention to their safety.
Angela Ailstock, 31, of Decoursey Pike in Morning View was sent to the Kenton County Jail on Monday after she was found guilty of punching driver Tracy Collins in the face and hitting her in the head with the bus microphone. Mrs. Collins, wife of Ludlow Police Chief Tom Collins, said she suffered a concussion, dental problems and other injuries.
Kenton District Judge William Schmaedecke ordered Ms. Ailstock to serve 30 days of her nine-month sentence, with the rest of the time discharged as long as she has no contact with Mrs. Collins or any other Kenton County Schools employee.
The sentencing ends the legal aspects of the attack, which prompted a variety of school employees to take their concerns about safety to their bosses. More than 100 drivers, custodians and others united to lobby legislators for state laws that more strictly handle bus incidents.
Superintendent Neil Stiegelmeyer suggested to the school board that video cameras be installed in some buses to monitor behavior. The board agreed to buy six cameras, to be rotated through the district's more than 150 buses.
Ms. Ailstock was previously found guilty of disorderly conduct in the attack and was fined $162. But Mrs. Collins and her husband then filed additional charges of assault, terroristic threatening and harassing communications. Ms. Ailstock was sentenced on the assault charge Monday and the other two were dropped.
She also faces a civil judgment in the case, won by Mrs. Collins and her husband in February.
Court records were unclear on how much she might have to pay.
