NEED TO KNOW
-
A school bus driver in Minnesota has been charged with child endangerment and DWI
-
On Nov. 20, a student in Maple Lake reported that they smelled alcohol on their bus driver’s breath
-
The bus was stopped mid-route, and the bus company dispatched a replacement driver to continue driving the students
A school bus driver in Minnesota has been charged with child endangerment and DWI — after one student noticed the smell of alcohol.
According to WCCO and FOX 9, a school resource officer in Maple Lake — about 50 miles outside of Minneapolis — received a report on Thursday, Nov. 20, about a student who believed they smelled alcohol on their bus driver.
Court documents obtained by the outlets state that the officer contacted school officials and the bus company, M&M Bus Service. The company stopped the bus mid-route and dispatched a replacement driver to continue driving the students.
Multiple students under age 16 were on the bus, according to the documents, but it’s not clear exactly how many students were on board.
Google Maps
The exterior of Maple Lake High School in Minnesota
A Washington County Sheriff’s deputy then met the driver, identified as 55-year-old William John Peterson, at the bus company’s garage. According to the outlets, the deputy said that Peterson allegedly had watery eyes and that they detected the potential smell of alcohol from his breath.
Peterson then allegedly claimed to have taken NyQuil, but denied consuming any alcohol.
The court documents state that Peterson allegedly “performed poorly” during a field sobriety test, according to the outlets, and his preliminary breath test registered a 0.082 BAC. Peterson was arrested and transported to the Washington County jail.
The standard legal limit for most motor vehicle drivers is 0.08, and the limit for commercial drivers is 0.04, but Minnesota law has a zero-tolerance policy for school bus drivers.
Peterson has been charged with one count of child endangerment and three counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
In a letter sent to families following the incident, Maple Lake Public Schools Superintendent Mike Rowe said that Peterson has been removed from duty.
“This afternoon, we received information regarding a serious incident involving a contracted bus driver who is an employee of M&M Bus Service. The school was made aware of alleged or seemingly impaired behavior. As soon as we were notified, steps were taken to ensure students were cared for and transported safely,” Rowe wrote, per the outlets.
“Law enforcement was contacted, and another driver was sent to take over the route,” he continued. “All students are safe, and M&M Bus Service has informed the district that the driver has been removed from duty effective immediately and a police investigation is taking place and no other information is available at this time.”
Rowe did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Read the original article on People
