Brantley bus driver accused of rape

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 17, 2005

A Coffee County woman who drove a school bus for Brantley School was arrested on Sept. 6 for the alleged rape of a 14-year old.

Deputies with the Dale County Sheriff's Department arrested Francine Jones, 44, at her parent's home in New Brockton.

Hal Cox, an investigator with DCSD, said the arrest was made with the assistance of deputies from the Coffee County Sheriff's Department and the New Brockton Police Department.

Jones was released on $20,000 bond.

Cox said the incident is alleged to have occurred in Dale County and evidence was gathered through interviews with the 14-year old victim.

He said the investigation is still ongoing and more arrests may be forthcoming.

Crenshaw County School Superintendent Kathi Wallace said Jones, a longtime bus driver for the school system, is not currently driving a bus for the school system, but declined to discuss the specific details of Jones' arrest.

"She's not driving a bus right now," said Wallace.

Wallace was unaware how long Jones had driven a bus in Brantley.

"She was there when I was principal in 1998," she said.