A road-rage dispute on Indianapolis’ east side escalated into a frightening confrontation when a 19-year-old woman allegedly blocked a school bus carrying 37 children and entered the vehicle while holding a loaded handgun.
Jamiya Sutton is facing multiple criminal charges following the Sept. 16 incident near East 36th Street and North DeQuincy Street, according to court records and police reports cited by local media.
Investigators say Sutton was driving a Kia K4 when she became upset after she believed the school bus had pulled out in front of her. Sutton reportedly told police that she struck a construction sign during the incident.
Instead of leaving the area, authorities say Sutton followed the bus. When the bus continued driving, she allegedly passed it, positioned her Kia across the roadway and stopped the bus from moving forward.
The bus driver told investigators that she did not notice Sutton’s vehicle until it moved in front of the bus. Sutton then allegedly stepped out of her car with a black handgun and began waving it while demanding that the driver get off the bus.
When the driver refused, Sutton allegedly forced open the bus door and entered while still carrying the weapon. She reportedly continued yelling and waving the gun before eventually leaving the bus and returning to her vehicle.
The bus had 37 children aboard at the time. No injuries have been reported in connection with the confrontation.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were initially dispatched after receiving a report of a possible vehicle crash. When they arrived, however, they found Sutton’s Kia positioned in front of the bus and determined that the two vehicles had not actually collided.
During the investigation, officers asked Sutton whether she had threatened the bus driver with a firearm. She reportedly acknowledged that she was armed but said she had not done anything with the gun.
Police later found a black Glock 17 Gen 4 underneath the driver’s seat of Sutton’s Kia. The handgun had a magazine containing 21 live rounds, according to reports based on the case documents. The weapon was taken into evidence, and Sutton was arrested without further incident.
Sutton has been charged with criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, criminal confinement involving a vehicle, pointing a firearm at another person and unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle. The charges include three felony counts and a misdemeanor charge.
Court records also indicate that Sutton had been arrested several days earlier in connection with another alleged road-rage confrontation. That Sept. 11 case reportedly involved an accusation that she displayed the same handgun during an argument with another driver who she believed had cut her off.
The school bus case remains pending in Marion Superior Court. Sutton is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
