For the third time in a short period, we are sharing the story of a Minnesota bus driver who faces criminal charges after allegedly trying to operate a school bus with children on board while under the influence of alcohol.
Last Wednesday, police descended on Park High School in Cottage Grove after staff had called to report that one of their bus drivers was possibly under the influence while the driver was waiting to take children home from school. Police arrived and found that staff members had already taken the keys away from the 36-year-old driver.
“Additional officers arrived and found probable cause to arrest the 36-year-old man for DUI,” law enforcement said in a statement.
School Bus DWI
The driver was arrested and charged with third-degree driving under the influence of alcohol and child endangerment. He was eventually released from jail on Friday pending the results of a blood test. It seems likely that the driver was under the influence of something at the time of the arrest, as an officer on the scene noted that the driver had:
- Slurred speech
- Unsteady gait
- Red, watery eyes
- Constricted pupils.
Although the driver’s name has not been publicly released, the Star-Tribune has reported that the driver has a drunk driving case pending from a traffic stop in December in which he allegedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.15% and a passenger under the age of 16 in the vehicle with him at the time of the arrest.
The man was driving the bus operated by Big River Bus Company in Hastings. The company released a statement noting that both the driver and a bus aide have been terminated as a result of their actions.
“The driver’s alleged behavior is a complete violation of our company policies, values and commitment to student safety. The driver as well as the bus aide who failed to report the incident have been terminated,” said Thomas Severson, Big River’s chief operating officer.
The driver faces an uphill battle to prove his innocence in both pending cases, and it seems all but certain that his time as a bus driver is over. Hopefully he can get the help he needs to overcome his substance abuse issues.
If you or someone you know is facing drunk driving or similar criminal charges in the greater Twin Cities area, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
