A former Dunklin R-5 School District bus driver has been charged in connection with an alleged driving under the influence incident that occurred while transporting students earlier this year, reported First Alert 4.
According to the news report, Dawna Brennan faces 37 felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child stemming from a Feb. 6 incident in which she allegedly drove a school bus carrying 37 students under the age of 17 after consuming alcohol.
Officers were reportedly called that afternoon to assist with a report of an impaired driver. An initial breath test administered at about 3:20 p.m. showed Brennan’s blood alcohol concentration at 0.029 percent. Authorities said she admitted to drinking half a bottle of Coors Light before driving the bus.
A second breath test conducted about an hour later registered a 0.000 percentblood alcohol reading. Investigators said via the article that Brennan also provided officers with a list of medications she was taking, noting that impairment can occur when alcohol is combined with certain medications.
Authorities said via the report that surveillance footage from the Herculaneum Parks and Recreation Department showed Brennan stopping at Kade’s Playground and drinking from a bottle of Coors Light before beginning her afternoon bus route. Officers later recovered the discarded bottle from a nearby trash can.
The Dunklin R-5 School District reportedly said Brennan was terminated immediately after officials learned about the situation.
“This week, a former school bus driver for the Dunklin R-5 School District was charged in connection with a driving under the influence incident from Feb. 2026,” Communications Director Matt Lichtenstein said via the article. The district also praised Officer Tavener for assisting local law enforcement with the investigation.
District officials reportedly stated that Brennan passed all required pre-employment background checks, including a review of her driving record. While court records indicate her blood alcohol level was below the legal limit for commercial drivers, the district said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol use by employees responsible for student transportation.
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