Bus driver pleads guilty to civil traffic violation in death of Rockland boy

ROCKLAND, Maine (WABI) - A bus driver initially charged with manslaughter in the death of a 12-year-old boy pleaded guilty Tuesday to a civil traffic violation, concluding a plea hearing that lasted about 30 minutes.

In exchange for dropping the manslaughter charge, Jeffrey Colburn, 65, pleaded guilty to committing a motorist infraction that resulted in death. The charge was accepted by the judge, who reviewed and approved the plea deal during the brief hearing.

A statement from the District Attorney’s Office provided additional context on the decision to reduce the charge.

“Justice Stokes, who was a homicide prosecutor, the chief of the criminal division at the Attorney General’s office, and a Maine Justice who has presided over dozens of homicide trials, told me that he did not believe we could prove criminal negligence beyond a reasonable doubt,” the statement said. “I decided that depending on the input from Brayden’s parents, I would agree to dismiss the criminal charges and file a civil charge of committing a traffic infraction causing death.”

Colburn was indicted in January and pleaded not guilty after 12-year-old Brayden Callahan was hit and killed in Rockland last November. The manslaughter charge was dropped last week after a judge said he didn’t think the state could get a conviction.

Under the terms of the plea deal, Colburn will lose his driver’s license for four years and must complete 15 hours of community service per month over the next year, totaling 180 hours. He has also received a lifetime ban on his commercial driver’s license.

Brayden’s family has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Coburn and RSU 13, alleging failures related to safety and oversight.

Steve Smith, the attorney representing Brayden’s parents, said last week, “The District was entrusted with the safety of children it transported. We will continue to pursue all available civil remedies on Brayden’s parents’ behalf and demand answers about RSU 13’s hiring and retention practices, driver training, supervision, bus-safety procedures, and every institutional decision that may have contributed to this preventable loss.”

Neither side wanted to comment after the hearing.