School Bus Driver Arrested for DWI with 17 Kids on Board
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A St. Louis County School District bus driver has been arrested for driving while intoxicated after being reported by a concerned citizen.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sept. 4, just after midnight, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office received a call from a citizen who reported seeing a school bus driver consuming alcohol while off duty. The caller expressed concerns that the driver, who appeared highly intoxicated, might not be sober by the time he was scheduled to begin his route in the morning.
Deputies made contact with the driver, identified as Anthony Israelson, 44, at his home shortly after 6 a.m. Israelson told deputies that he was not scheduled to work that day. However, just after 7 a.m., the Sheriff's Office was notified by the school district that Israelson was in fact driving a bus and had already started his route. Deputies quickly obtained information about his route and were able to locate the bus on Independence Road, just north of Seville Road.
The bus was pulled over without incident and Israelson was arrested for DWI. At the time of the traffic stop, there were 17 children on the bus. According to the Sheriff's Office, all students were uninjured and reported to be doing well. The school district immediately dispatched staff to take custody of the bus and ensure the children's safety. Parents were also notified of the situation.
Israelson was taken into custody and transported to the St. Louis County Jail, where he was booked on charges of second-degree DWI, a gross misdemeanor. A preliminary breath test indicated that Israelson had a blood alcohol concentration of .16, which is double the legal limit for driving in Minnesota. According to state law, there is zero tolerance for any amount of alcohol in a person's system while operating a school bus.
The St. Louis County Attorney's Office will review the case and make an official charging decision. Formal blood test results are pending and could take some time to process. Meanwhile, the school district is cooperating fully with the investigation and taking steps to ensure student safety moving forward.
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