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WEST VALLEY CITY — A former bus driver for the Granite School District accused of lighting multiple fires on school buses is now facing federal charges in addition to his state criminal charges.
Michael Austin Ford, 58, of West Valley City, was indicted this week by a federal grand jury on two counts of arson of a vehicle being used by an organization receiving federal funds.
Ford is already facing 10 counts of aggravated arson, aggravated child abuse and obstructing justice charges in 3rd District Court.
The federal charges are for two alleged incidents. On Feb. 24, 2022, Ford was driving a Granite School District bus with 66 children on board when video surveillance from the bus "shows smoke coming from under the bus dash while Ford continues to drive. The students reported smelling smoke, and multiple students are visibly covering their faces and coughing. Ford then stops the bus and evacuates the minors. He then extinguishes the fire with a fire extinguisher. One minor reports being treated for smoke inhalation," according to state charging documents.
The second charge was for another school bus fire, in which Ford was the driver, on April 7, 2023.
"Review of the video surveillance shows the bus driver, identified as Ford, with a thumb-strike lighter in his left hand. When the traffic stops, Ford looks down and starts lighting the electrical components under the dashboard on fire with the lighter. Ford continues driving the bus, looking down several times at the smoke and intermittently visible flames. A few minutes later, the fire is extinguished," the charges state.
Ford is scheduled to make an appearance in federal court on Friday. A preliminary hearing for Ford is scheduled in 3rd District Court on Monday.
