Overview

• A former Utah school bus driver, Michael Austin Ford, faces federal charges for setting fires on school buses, including one incident with 42 children aboard.
• Ford is accused of using an ignition device to start the fires while driving, endangering the lives of students and himself.
• The incidents occurred in February 2022 and April 2023, with Ford continuing to drive as smoke filled the bus.
• Ford has a history of similar incidents, with additional fires reported on buses he drove in previous years.
• He is scheduled for a jury trial on April 29, 2024, facing charges of arson of a vehicle of an organization receiving federal funds.