A Georgia bus driver has been fired after allegedly driving a bus with 31 students on board while under the influence of alcohol.
Police arrested Carole Ann Etheridge on Monday at Loganville Middle School soon after she took a field sobriety test, according to WSB-TV.
Callen Moore, a representative of Walton County schools, told the TV station that students realized something was strange with the driver.
“A student on the bus actually notified their parent. And the parent notified the school,” Moore told WSB-TV.
Etheridge was charged with one count of DUI and 16 counts of endangering a child,according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Law enforcement told WSB-TV that they later found a large bottle of tequila, four small bottles of vodka and four bottles of prescription pills in her purse.
A parent told the TV station that Etheridge was reckless and should face harsh punishment.
“Jail time. A lot of jail time,” said parent Aimee Elmore. “That’s putting the lives of our kids in danger and anybody else on the road.”
“The Walton County School District does not tolerate any behavior that jeopardizes the safety of our students,” Moore told The Atlanta Journal Constitution in a statement. “We appreciate the swift action of our Transportation Department and local law enforcement officers to ensure the safety of our students.”
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