Updating a previous story that we shared on our blog, a Chisago County woman pleaded guilty last week to one count of driving while intoxicated.
As we detailed in that original story, Kara Ffrench, 60, was originally charged with driving under the influence after a farmer called police to report that a bus was stuck in his cornfield on the morning of February 15. Upon arriving at the scene, police found Ffrench behind the wheel of the bus, which was stuck in a cornfield and pinned against a basketball hoop. When talking with Ffrench, police noted “a moderate odor of alcohol beverage” on her breath. Ffrench denied drinking alcohol, saying that her foot simply “did not find the brake” before she crashed in an area where she typically turns around during her route.
Busted For DUI
While investigating the scene, police noticed that Ffrench exited the vehicle with an insulated coffee mug and a plastic water bottle. Police put the mug to the sniff test and noted that it smelled like a mixture of coffee and an added alcoholic beverage.
Ffrench was later asked to participate in field sobriety tests, which she promptly failed. She told police that she hadn’t consumed alcohol in days, but court documents show that a breath test revealed that she had a 0.199 BAC at the scene and a 0.17 BAC at the police station two hours after the crash.
45 children were on the bus at the time of the crash, and thankfully no injuries were reported. Following Ffrench’s guilty plea, the judge set sentencing for November 6.
We put a lot of faith in bus drivers to get our children to school and back in a safe manner, and it’s clear that Ffrench violated the trust of so many parents on that day. Her admission of guilt through her decision to plead guilty is the first step in getting her life back on track, and it will be interesting to see what type of sentence will be handed down. It seems likely that community service and driving restrictions will be imposed, and it’s uncertain if a jail sentence will be in order. It’s also incredibly unlikely she will be allowed to drive a school bus on a contract ever again, even if she works to regain her license once her suspension is over.
Hopefully you never find yourself in a position like Ffrench, but if you need help contesting a DUI charge or less severe traffic infraction, know that you have an ally in Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm. Give our team a call today to set up a free consultation. Our phone number is (952) 224-2277.
