Level Plains woman charged with harassing bus driver

A Level Plains woman was arrested and taken to the Dale County Jail charged in connection with an incident involving a Daleville City Schools bus.

Kimalie Temple, 33, was arrested Dec. 15 on charges of harassment and trespassing on a school bus in connection with an incident that occurred in the city limits of Level Plains.

During the incident Temple stopped a school bus from being able to continue on its route, said Level Plains Police Chief Johnny Summers. “This will not be tolerated in this city,” he said.

Unlawfully entering or interfering with a school bus in the state of Alabama became a violation of the law in 2013 after then-Gov. Robert Bentley signed a measure named after Midland City Bus Driver Charles “Chuck” Poland who was shot and killed by a gunman who boarded his school bus and demanded that Poland hand over two students.

The “Charles ‘Chuck’ Poland” Law makes trespassing on a school bus a Class-A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail.

State Rep. Alan Baker sponsored the House version of the bill, the Charles “Chuck” Poland Jr., Act, and State Sen. Cam Ward sponsored the Senate version.

The Dale County Schools bus driver was shot and killed in January 2013 by a gunman who boarded his bus and demanded two students. Before being shot, Poland negotiated with Jimmy Lee Dykes and blocked his path, enabling 21 children to escape through the emergency exit. After killing Poland, Dykes abducted a 5-year-old boy with autism and held him hostage in an underground bunker for nearly a week before FBI agents burst in, killed him and rescued the boy.

Under the new law, the crime of trespass in the first degree includes intentionally stopping, impeding, delaying or detaining any school bus from being operated for public school purposes “with the intent to commit a crime.”

Temple is free on $1,000 bond awaiting a Feb. 8, 2022 Level Plains Municipal Court date.