A bus driver is in jail and more than 70 elementary school students and their chaperones are safe following a dangerous drive to Brigham Young University Monday morning.
“We had a driver who was erratic in her travel, apparently traveling from one lane to the next back and forth,” said Chris Williams from the Davis School District. “There was enough concern on the bus that a couple people called 911.”
Williams said children from four schools were on their way to a student council meeting when the driver of their bus, Lycia Martinez, began to drive dangerously. In addition to chaperones, other drivers on I-15 who saw the bus in the morning traffic called 911. The bus was pulled over just after 8 a.m. by the Utah Highway Patrol and Martinez was arrested after allegedly failing sobriety tests.
Media reports that pain killers, not alcohol, are thought be the cause of intoxication. Martinez had prescriptions for the medications.
“Right now she’s on paid administrative leave; she won’t be allowed back behind the wheel until our investigation is concluded. That investigation may result in the driver not being allowed to drive again,” Williams said.
He calls the situation lucky and said he is grateful that no one was injured.
Martinez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.