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Attorney Of Man Caught On Tape Holding Onto Bus: He's An 'Exemplary Concerned Citizen'

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The video has been watched across the country as the man is shown clinging onto a moving school bus. His attorney says it has been mortifying for his client who was only trying to report what happened.

Rick Ritter speaks with the man's attorney who is sharing his side of the story.

What looks like something out of an action movie, children are heard screaming with terror on a Baltimore County school bus, as a man, 68-year old Laverne Doran hangs onto the front, demanding the driver let him on.

The drama unfolded last Thursday in Parkville when a plastic bottle was thrown out of the bus to his windshield.

"He stopped the bus and started yelling at our bus driver to open up the door," says 13-year-old Eli Copenhaver. who was on the bus with his sister Ivy.

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When that didn't work, the bus started to pull away. The 68-year-old latched on and students caught it on video that has gone viral.

"Some were crying, some were hiding under seats and pretty much at that point we were scared," says 12-year-old Ivy Copenhaver.

A special education teacher for 18 years who is now retired, Doran is facing a slew of charges from Baltimore County Police. His attorney, Steven Silverman recounts on the ordeal.

He faces multiple charges for disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, obstructing a school bus driver, and malicious destruction of property.

"He is actually an exemplary concerned citizen," says Silverman.

Doran was in his car with his wife who is deaf when the bottle hit his windshield, and he lawyer says he's getting a raw deal based on the video.

"All of sudden he's the poster child for I guess some sort of road rage," says Silverman.

Silverman claims the bus driver revved his engine and accelerated forward multiple times.

"Put his arms up. The bus driver a third time comes forward and doesn't stop this time. And Mr. Doran, he is either going under the bus, or he's going on top of the bus.

Silverman says he's trying to fathom why the bus driver continued with the man on the hood. He believes the average citizen in place of the 68-year-old, would have likely followed suit.

I don't know if I walked in his shoes, if I would have handled it any differently," he says.

Silverman added that his client has no criminal history, has never been arrested before. WJZ did try to reach out to Baltimore County police for an interview on this story, but they declined to comment.

Baltimore County schools released a statement to WJZ: "We will continue to cooperate with police as they investigate this incident. The families of the students on the bus were all notified following the incident, and we are thankful no students or staff on the bus were injured."

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