A school bus driver in Florida was arrested on driving under the influence and child neglect charges after she allegedly backed her bus into another vehicle while transporting six children and later showed signs of impairment, reported Weartv News.
The crash reportedly happened around 1:35 p.m. Friday near the intersection of 8th Avenue and Ferdon Boulevard, also known as State Road 85. Investigators said Mechelle Prevoznik, 62, of Crestview, was operating an Okaloosa County School District school bus when she backed into a vehicle that was stopped behind the bus.
According to the news report, officers responding to the scene began investigating the crash and reported detecting the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Prevoznik. Police then conducted a DUI investigation that included field sobriety exercises.
Prevoznik reportedly displayed signs of impairment and was taken into custody. Police said she later provided a breath sample that measured a blood alcohol content of 0.048 percent. The crash occurred at a low speed, and no injuries were reported among the children, the driver of the other vehicle or Prevoznik, police said.
Authorities charged Prevoznik with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and six counts of child neglect without bodily harm, one for each child on board the bus at the time of the crash. Prevoznik was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail without incident.
The Okaloosa County School District had not publicly commented on the arrest as of Friday evening. No mention of the arrest was made on the school district’s social media channels, though a post that same day advertising school bus driver hiring received negative comments about drunk school bus drivers.
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Related: Pennsylvania School Van Driver Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for DUI
