Police responded Tuesday morning after an incident involving a local school bus driver.
A report came in for a Fisher school bus driver serving Somerset Berkley Regional High School tossing nip bottles out of the window just before 7:00 a.m. on Read Road near the water tower while operating the bus with students aboard.
Fall River Reporter contacted Chief William Tedford about the incident and he stated that officers responded to the report, and there was admission she had thrown empty bottles after finding them in her purse, stating she was concerned she would face scrutiny if it was discovered she had the empty bottles.
Officers performed tests on scene, including the portable breath tester which registered a .0000 result. Absolutely no signs of drinking nor being impaired.
No arrests or criminal charges are expected except possibly a littering bylaw violation, but that hasn’t been determined by the investigating officer yet.
Another driver came and transported the students to school while police investigated.
Superintendent Dr Jeffrey Schoonover issued the following letter to parents:
“I am writing to share information about an incident this morning involving morning Bus Route #7. When a matter involves student safety, we believe you should hear the facts directly from us and promptly.
This morning, a motorist traveling behind a school bus saw several small, empty liquor bottles, commonly referred to as “nips, thrown from a bus window. The motorist reported this to the Somerset Police Department (SPD). Officers stopped the bus, and the driver acknowledged that she had discarded the bottles. SPD engaged with the driver, who cooperated with the investigation and it was determined that the bottles were in her possession, but they were not consumed this morning and she was not impaired in any way.
“Fisher Bus sent a second bus to the scene, and fourteen students were transported to the high school. All students arrived at school safely.
“The driver is an employee of Fisher Bus, the company that contracts with the district to provide transportation, and is not an employee of the Somerset Berkley Regional School District. We have been in direct contact with Fisher Bus leadership and have requested that this driver not be assigned to any district routes as of today. We will also work with Fisher Bus to review its driver policies and fitness-for-duty procedures to ensure they meet the standards our students deserve.
“The presence of alcohol containers on a school bus, by anyone, is unacceptable. Our students and families must have complete confidence in the people responsible for transporting them, and we take this matter very seriously. We are grateful to the attentive community member who reported what they saw and to the Somerset Police Department for their swift response. This is a reminder of how much our students benefit when the entire community looks out for them.”
