A lawsuit that attorney Christopher Chestnut filed on behalf of Robert Champion’s parents claims Fabulous Coach Lines driver Wendy Millette stood guard outside the bus on which their son was being hazed.But Marching 100 member Keon Hollis, who told ESPN that he walked onto the bus with Robert and stayed there until the two of them had successfully completed a hazing ritual, says there were no adults near the vehicle.
“Hollis says no adults were around,” ESPN investigative reporter Mike Fish wrote.
According to the Champion family’s lawsuit, Millette “encouraged passengers on Bus C to engage in hazing rituals with the full knowledge and express or implied consent/permission of the Defendant Fabulous Couch."
The lawsuit also claims that: “Defendant Millette was standing ‘guard’ at the door of the bus to monitor ingress and egress to Bus C. Defendant Millette, upon seeing the injured decedent, ignored the apparent health risks of (Champion) vomiting…Defendant Millette advised (Champion) that he would be alright as she forced him back on the bus.”
Champion’s parents say Robert was "subjected to additional physical punishment" after being “forced” back on the bus.
The Champions have not answered press questions about how Millette actually “forced” the victim back on board. Robert Champion weighed 235 pounds and was more than six feet tall.
Hollis says that after he and Robert finished the Bus C ritual, Robert asked him for something to drink.
“He said ‘you got something to drink,’” Hollis recalled. “And I gave him some, I believe it was water, and he drunk the water. And then after that, I got off the bus and I left. I walked back to the room. And that was the last time that I talked to him.”
Hollis did not mention anything about Millette "standing guard" outside or monitoring “ingress and egress to Bus C.”
In December, Fabulous Coach Lines owner Ray Land told the Associated Press that the bus driver was outside assisting the band members who were unloading instruments when Champion collapsed on the vehicle. He says she and the rest of the drivers did everything they could to help after they learned that the drum major was hurt.