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Cleveland Heights council honors bus driver Dorian Pace for rescuing 15 students, adopts emergency resolution
Summary
Cleveland Heights City Council on March 3 adopted an emergency resolution recognizing school bus driver Dorian Pace for evacuating 15 students from a bus that caught fire on Feb. 27, 2025. The Ohio Department of Public Safety and Cuyahoga County Council also issued formal recognitions.
Cleveland Heights City Council on March 3 adopted an emergency resolution recognizing school bus driver Dorian Pace for evacuating 15 students from a school bus that caught fire on Feb. 27, 2025, near Cambridge and North Hampton Road.
The recognition came after Vice President Russell introduced the item and invited Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, to speak. Wilson presented a director's coin from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and read a Cuyahoga County Council resolution praising Pace’s actions. Council then moved to adopt the city’s resolution (Resolution 038-2025) honoring Pace; council approved the resolution by voice vote.
Why it matters: Council said the resolution recognizes a city employee whose actions prevented injuries and received attention from state and county officials. The council designated the legislation an emergency so it could take effect immediately.
Details from the recognitions and remarks: According to the county and city resolutions read into the record, a Cleveland Heights–University Heights school bus transporting 15 students to Monticello Middle School developed a fire near a rear wheel on Feb. 27. The resolutions say Pace brought the bus to a safe stop and evacuated all students without injury. The county resolution states Pace has been employed with the Cleveland Heights school district for approximately 11 years.
Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson praised Pace at the meeting, saying the single biggest factor in bus safety is the driver and that Pace’s response demonstrated “remarkable heroism.” At the podium, Pace offered brief remarks, thanked God, his parents, coworkers and the city, and said he was grateful for the recognition.
Council procedure and next steps: Council adopted Resolution 038-2025 by voice vote during the March 3 meeting. The mayor, council president and clerk were expected to sign the resolution after the vote; copies of related recognitions from the congresswoman’s office and the county were noted as forthcoming by mail.
Ending: Council members and attendees thanked Pace and the other bus drivers in attendance. The resolution was entered into the record as an emergency measure to become effective immediately.
