Wisconsin School Bus Driver Charged With OWI
On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Monday, April 2, 2012.
Dozens of Wisconsin parents are expressing their outrage after a West Bend school bus driver was arrested for allegedly transporting students while under the influence of prescription narcotics.
The driver admitted to taking the painkiller hydrocodone before beginning his route, even though he does not have a prescription for it.
Police became aware of the problem after two high school students used their cellphones to inform their parents that the bus driver was exhibiting erratic behavior. The parents then called the police, who located the bus just before it arrived at East High School.
According to students, the driver was swerving and speeding during their morning route. He was apparently also dozing off during the ride, and missed at least one stop. The riders say the scariest part was when the driver tried to turn into the school – they say he missed his turn, hopped the curb and narrowly avoided crashing into a tree.
Thankfully, no students were injured. However, the incident calls into question some of the most basic assumptions parents make about their children’s safety.
When parents send their children off to school, they expect that they will be in good hands. Many are wondering how the school and the bus company could have let an incident like this happen.
The school district sent a letter home to parents, notifying them that the driver won’t be transporting students in the future.
Still, a number of parents say the driver should have been terminated long ago. He had already been the subject of complaints and had been convicted twice of DUI in the past.
In situations like this, it is not only the driver that can be held responsible. If a child is injured in a school bus-related accident, the bus company and school district may share in the liability. They both have a responsibility to make sure that children are not placed in a dangerous situation.
Source: WISN, “School Bus Driver Charged With OWI,” March 28, 2012. (source has been removed at WISN)
If you need legal representation following an accident with a drugged driver, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. for a free consultation.