GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A viewer sent a picture to Whistleblower 9 of a Gaston County Schools activity bus blocking not one, but two accessible parking spaces for people with disabilities.
That viewer said he did not think it was right for a school bus to block spaces designated for people who need to be able to park close.
Because of the Eyewitness News investigation, advocates for people with disabilities have called a meeting for Wednesday to get answers from the schools and the county.
On Tuesday, Eyewitness News was able to track down the same bus in those pictures.
The picture showed a Gaston County Schools activity bus blocking two accessible parking spots for people with disabilities outside a Subway restaurant on South New Hope Road.
Also, a man in a wheelchair was eating inside the store at the same time.
Sam Ergle took the photos on Monday afternoon and sent them to Whistleblower 9.
He said the bus was full of ROTC members who were eating lunch.
"He set the poorest example for those young men, not the right thing to do," he said.
American Home Patient is in the same shopping center and many of their customers have disabilities.
"They need that space or they have to walk a long distance," said Chuck Trado.
On Tuesday, Eyewitness News was able to track down the same bus based on its number parked in the lot at South Point High School in Belmont.
Eyewitness News contacted Gaston County Schools to see what they were doing about it, but never heard back.
Julia Sain with Disability Rights and Resources plans to get answers.
She said because the county gives tax money to the schools that it is responsible too.
"To ensure not to discriminate against people with a disability and it is obvious in the pictures that they did," she said.
After Sain saw the pictures she set up a meeting for Wednesday with county and school officials.
She said they need to explain what happened and how they will make sure it does not happen again.
Eyewitness News also spoke with workers at the Subway who said they told the bus driver to park in the back of the building from now on.