School bus matron off to anger management after trespass at Staten Island family’s home

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Staten Island school bus matron for special needs children pleaded guilty this week to criminal trespassing after she was accused of showing up to the home of a family from her route with a knife.

Joanne Dash, 59, of Beard Street in New Springville, has been ordered by the court — per the approval of prosecutors and after further investigation — to complete 16 courses of anger management as a means to resolve the case.

The defendant was facing the possibility of between five and 25 years in prison had she been convicted by a jury on the top count in connection with the Dec. 6 incident.

If she violates the terms of the plea deal, she faces one year in jail.

‘You cost me my job!’

According to a criminal complaint, it was around 7:30 p.m. when Dash entered the family’s property near Travis Avenue and Merry Mount Street in New Springville.

A person at the home told authorities the defendant was in an area that leads to the main living area, armed with a knife, the complaint alleged.

Dash was accused of shouting, in sum and substance: “You c---, you cost me my job!”

An 18-year-old male came downstairs to find Dash in the home, before she fled in a vehicle, according to a spokesperson for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Dash was arrested Dec. 17.

Court documents do not state whether she had any interactions with anyone at the home prior to the Dec. 6 incident, but sources with knowledge of the case said the victims were from her bus route.

A spokesperson for the NYC Department of Education did not provide a statement by time of publication.

‘Please; thank you’

Dash was arraigned in Criminal Court on May 1, records indicated.

She was granted supervised release and appeared before Judge Mario F. Mattei last week in state Supreme Court, St. George, on her own volition.

The court, meanwhile, has issued a full and final order of protection on behalf of a male and female who share the same last name, and the owner of the property where the incident unfolded.

Dash was represented in the case by attorney John Rapawy.

In court Thursday, Rapawy told the judge his client is fully aware of the terms of the plea deal and that she has the full support of her family in putting the matter behind her.

The defendant, who was soft spoken in court, assured the court she was willing to waive several rights in taking a guilty plea, including the right to appeal and to review the prosecution’s evidence.

When she also passed on an opportunity to speak with parole — as a third party — to review the case before sentencing, Mattei asked: “You want to get this all done today?”

Dash replied: “Please; thank you.”