A former North Carolina school bus driver arrested for allegedly driving students while impaired is charged with committing 60 misdemeanors for the Aug. 29 incident that occurred with students on board at the time.
Lauren Coble, 45, was arrested Wednesday and charged with seven counts of impaired driving in a commercial vehicle and 53 counts of misdemeanor child endangerment for the students that were in her care.
The Creedmore Police Department said the Granville County Public School administration office contacted officers the morning of Aug. 29 after Coble was observed driving erratically during her route.
“Our department fully supports the administration of Granville County Public Schools and their commitment to ensuring the safety of our students and staff,” said police chief Troy Wheless in a statement posted on Facebook. “We will work closely with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure that anyone who puts the safety and security of our students, staff, and members of the public at any of our schools at risk are held accountable for their actions.”
The school district began posting ads for school bus driver applicants on its X social media page (formerly known as Twitter) the same day of the alleged DWI incident.
According to North Carolina General Statutes, each child endangerment charge carries a possible prison sentence of 150 days plus a possible fine, which means Coble could serve over 21 years if convicted of all charges.
If convicted on each driving while impaired charge, she faces as much as another three and a half years in jail and nearly $30,000 in fines or as little as probation and a $1,400 fine, plus the revocation of her commercial driver’s license.
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