House arrest and probation was the sentence for an 80-year-old former bus driver who struck a 10-year-old last December. William V. Devlieger, Warren, was before President Judge Maureen Skerda on Friday.

He pleaded no contest to counts of accident involving death or injury, failure to stop and give information or render aid and careless driving back in August.

His attorney, Elizabeth Feronti, said her client has absolutely no prior record. “He’s led a life of service,” she said, citing his work as a firefighter and EMT and as a bus driver for 25 years.

She stressed this was “not a malicious act. At the time, he did not believe he hit the child.

“He does feel awful for what has happened.”

District Attorney Rob Greene took a different tone. Citing witness statements, Greene said that Devlieger’s response when told he struck the child was “oh well,” not stopping the bus.

He said there is “no doubt” that Devlieger is a good person, but said that “not once has he taken responsibility” while there was the “very likely possibility” that he could have killed her.

“We’re here to see if Mr. Devlieger should go to jail,” Greene said. “The Commonwealth doesn’t want to put an 80-year-old in jail.”

He agreed there was no malice in the act “but that’s now what we’re here for.

“He sure as hell shouldn’t be driving a bus,” Greene added.

Devlieger told the court that he never said “Oh, well” and called the bus contractor after the incident.

“Certainly, I wouldn’t do anything” to hurt children, he said. “I’m not” dodging responsibility. “At the time, I didn’t know I hit that girl.

“I feel an unfortunate situation happened,” he added. “I don’t blame the family for bad feelings toward me. I’m sorry for what happened, I guess.”

“I guess,” Greene echoed.

Skerda said she saw the video of the incident and said, “Thank God we don’t have a death here.”

She said she thought “long and hard” about a sentence, acknowledging that he struck the girl but also may not have heard the thud given the volume level from children on the bus.

Devlieger was sentenced to a two-year sentence including 30 days house arrest and the rest on probation, $1,075 in fines and fees, a no contact order with the victim or her family, a 12 month driver’s license suspension, 75 hours of community service, submission of a DNA sample and to undergo a mental health evaluation and comply with recommendations on a count of accident involving death or injury as well as $70 on a count of careless driving.