Post by casey on Mar 11, 2010 14:10:07 GMT -6
Mount Prospect school bus driver charged with DUI [3/10/10]
Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 officials said Thursday they are reviewing procedures after an allegedly drunk bus driver was allowed to drive students home, but believe they could not have prevented it.
That answer did not satisfy parents, who wanted more answers about why the driver was allowed to transport students after administrators were warned she smelled of liquor.
"Beyond the judgment of the driver, which we all know was horrible, I still need to find out what the timeline was and what happened," said parent Roberta Flack, whose daughter rode on the bus. She said she was worried but wanted to get more information from the school district.
Flack said she had a call into the superintendent and was waiting to hear back.
"Obviously, I'm upset about it. It's horrible."
Driver Betty Burden was charged with felony driving under the influence Tuesday after a police breath test found she had .226 percent alcohol in her blood, almost three times the legal limit.
Burden had just driven about 50 children home from Lions Park Elementary School.
Another bus driver smelled alcohol on Burden's breath around 2:30 p.m., before the buses left the school, district officials said.
District transportation Director Vince Ramirez heard about it an hour later and thought it would be too late to catch the driver at the school, school board President Joe Leane said, so he intercepted her at her first bus stop.
Ramirez got on the bus to talk to the driver, but did not smell alcohol, and let her drive, Leane said. He called police, who said they responded immediately but that by that time, the students had been taken home and the bus was empty.
Mount Prospect police did a field sobriety test, and said Burden smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes, with an initial breath test reading of .230, before doing the second, official reading at the police station.
Leane said he has heard from many parents, in person, by phone and e-mail, and the issue will be discussed at the board's next regular meeting next at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18 at District 57's administrative office at 701 Gregory St., but which may be moved to a larger venue to accommodate expected big crowds.
"Some people are very upset, especially parents who had children on the bus, and that's completely understandable," he said. "I'm as outraged as they are."
"Unfortunately, in a situation like this, it's difficult to say, but you can't make decisions simply based on an allegation or concern," he said. "That has to be investigated and there has to be a reasonable basis to make a decision, and unfortunately that takes time."
If convicted, Burden could face from one to three years in prison. Her next court date is April 1.
• Daily Herald Reporter Marni Pyke contributed to this report.
Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 officials said Thursday they are reviewing procedures after an allegedly drunk bus driver was allowed to drive students home, but believe they could not have prevented it.
That answer did not satisfy parents, who wanted more answers about why the driver was allowed to transport students after administrators were warned she smelled of liquor.
"Beyond the judgment of the driver, which we all know was horrible, I still need to find out what the timeline was and what happened," said parent Roberta Flack, whose daughter rode on the bus. She said she was worried but wanted to get more information from the school district.
Flack said she had a call into the superintendent and was waiting to hear back.
"Obviously, I'm upset about it. It's horrible."
Driver Betty Burden was charged with felony driving under the influence Tuesday after a police breath test found she had .226 percent alcohol in her blood, almost three times the legal limit.
Burden had just driven about 50 children home from Lions Park Elementary School.
Another bus driver smelled alcohol on Burden's breath around 2:30 p.m., before the buses left the school, district officials said.
District transportation Director Vince Ramirez heard about it an hour later and thought it would be too late to catch the driver at the school, school board President Joe Leane said, so he intercepted her at her first bus stop.
Ramirez got on the bus to talk to the driver, but did not smell alcohol, and let her drive, Leane said. He called police, who said they responded immediately but that by that time, the students had been taken home and the bus was empty.
Mount Prospect police did a field sobriety test, and said Burden smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes, with an initial breath test reading of .230, before doing the second, official reading at the police station.
Leane said he has heard from many parents, in person, by phone and e-mail, and the issue will be discussed at the board's next regular meeting next at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18 at District 57's administrative office at 701 Gregory St., but which may be moved to a larger venue to accommodate expected big crowds.
"Some people are very upset, especially parents who had children on the bus, and that's completely understandable," he said. "I'm as outraged as they are."
"Unfortunately, in a situation like this, it's difficult to say, but you can't make decisions simply based on an allegation or concern," he said. "That has to be investigated and there has to be a reasonable basis to make a decision, and unfortunately that takes time."
If convicted, Burden could face from one to three years in prison. Her next court date is April 1.
• Daily Herald Reporter Marni Pyke contributed to this report.
