Two sisters arrested after pepper spray incident on school bus

Two teenage sisters were arrested and charged after an incident involving pepper spray on a Northeast Richland County school bus Tuesday morning, officials said.

The sisters were on a school bus headed to Westwood High School when an argument with two other teens – a brother and sister – started around 8:30 a.m. at Hardscrabble and Sloan Roads, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

One of the sisters is 15 years old and the other is 16 years old. The 15-year-old reportedly pulled out a canister of pepper spray and sprayed it at the boy. He exited the bus after he was sprayed, a release said. Around this time, the girls physically attacked the male victim’s sister, officials said.

After the incident, 21 students were taken to an area hospitals for observation as a precaution. There were no reports of injuries during the incident.

Sheriff Leon Lott called the situation “unfortunate” because the disturbance affected so many headed to school ready to learn.

The 16-year-old was charged with third-degree assault and interfering with the operation of a school bus.

The 15-year-old was charged with third-degree assault, interfering with the operation of a school bus and carrying a weapon on school property.

If convicted, third-degree assault and battery carries a fine of up to $500, jail time of up to 30 days, or both. The penalty for interfering with the operation of a school bus is up to the presiding judge. Both charges are misdemeanors.

But carrying a weapon on school property is a felony under state law – if convicted, the penalty is imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

The sisters were released to the custody of their parents and are awaiting an appearance in family court.

Libby Roof, spokeswoman for Richland School District 2, said school officials could not comment on any disciplinary actions involving the sisters because of federal privacy regulations. She also urged students and parents to download the school district’s new app, saying it allows users to submit safety tips about potentially dangerous situations.

“We are not going to be able to prevent every single incident, but we work very hard in Richland 2 to make our buses and schools as safe as possible,” Roof said.

Though the Richland 2 student handbook for 2016-2017 doesn’t mention pepper spray specifically, it mentions weapons under a section on “serious offenses,” saying: “The use, possession or distribution of weapons, alcohol and drugs will not be tolerated and may permanently expel students involved in weapons, drug or alcohol offenses.”

The policy also says that “buses are considered an extension of the classroom and student behavior on buses is required to mirror behavior in the classroom.”

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Two sisters arrested after pepper spray incident on school bus."