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Falsely Accused School Bus Driver Exonerated by Police

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Falsely Accused School Bus Driver Exonerated by Police

ST. MARY'S COUNTY - 11/5/2009

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On Wednesday, Nov. 4, a call went out to authorities shortly before 12:30 p.m., reporting a St. Mary’s County School bus had a driver that smelled of alcohol. Students that were on the bus phoned their parents and told the parents that their driver smelled like alcohol resulting in a call to police.

Local police initiated a search for the bus in question. St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Deputies located and stopped the bus as it was making a stop at Great Mills High School loaded with children.

Units from Maryland State Police and the Sheriff’s office questioned the driver and called for an additional unit with a breathalyzer. The St. Mary’s County Public School officials arrived on the scene and made arrangements for another bus driver to continue the bus route while police investigated the incident.

After a thorough investigation by both police and St. Mary's County Public Schools officials and after being tested, the driver of the bus proved that he was not under the influence and was released.

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proudaunt Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 10:42 AM
What about the kids?
I would hope that the kids that made these calls are investigated. Did they have a personal issue with the driver? Where were they sitting on the bus that they could smell alcohol on the driver? Sounds fishy to me. This person had to endure a rather public investigation - it says at Great Mills High School - what about damage to the driver's reputation? It seems fair that the children should be questioned regarding their actions.
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Player_Hater Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 11:11 AM
Passed the test
So one kid thought he smelled alcohol on the bus drivers breath, and tells others kids and cell phones start ringing to mom. Maybe he did not brush his teeth that morning and had some fowl breath. Well he/she proved that he/she did nothing wrong. I am sure that was pretty emabarrising for the driver.
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melx32005 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 11:22 AM
For the record
Just so we're all clear it wasn't me that called the cops or had anything to do with that accusation.
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Player_Hater Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 1:37 PM
Reply to melx32005: Your
the first thing that popped in to my mind when I read that story. I think you created the longest thread in history on the BayNet next to the prostite flashing on the road and the drill tool being used during sex.
lacibugg Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 9:54 AM
Reply to melx32005: hmmm?
Where was Malissa? Wow she really has it out for those bus drivers!
brbr Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 11:57 AM
And this.....
......is why cell phones should be banned on all school property, including school busses! What happened to the good ole days I've heard about when you could have one drink with lunch and go back to work for the rest of the afternoon?
Reply to This Comment
PhatDaddy Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 9:00 AM
Reply to brbr: WRONG
Banning cell phones on school property is a HORRIBLE idea. What if a kid or driver went crazy and brought a gun on the bus and took everyone hostage? How long would it take to find out they were held up without cell phones?

How about a kid gets into a fight with a bus driver? How do you prove who started it? An innocent bus driver could get fired and go to jail for defending himself from a violent 17 year old, all because no one was allowed to bring their camera phones on the bus.
scellis Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 12:08 PM
there is better safe then sorry however...
it appears that it has gone over the line here. When someone is accused falsely and has their reputation and job at stake, well, yes the callers should be investigated and talked to about the severity of such actions. Several products that are used have alcohol in them; cologne/perfume, hairspray, etc. Is that what might have been mistaken for the "smell of alcohol"? Besides, how would these students know what "drinking alcohol" smells like on someone as opposed to the alcohol that is used in beauty products?? Yes investigation is needed here!
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ridgrunner Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 4:56 PM
Reply to scellis: "how would they know . . ."?
Let's not be naieve. Depending on wether the parents in a family drink (doesn't have to be to excess), many kids have been around people that have drunk alcohol. This is not the prohibition era.
ridgrunner Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 5:08 PM
Reply to scellis: "how would they know . . ."?
Let's not be naieve. Depending on wether the parents in a family drink (doesn't have to be to excess), many kids have been around people that have drunk alcohol. This is not the prohibition era.
ridgrunner Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 3:03 PM
Reply to scellis: "how would they know . . ."?
Let's not be naieve. Depending on wether the parents in a family drink (doesn't have to be to excess), many kids have been around people that have drunk alcohol. This is not the prohibition era.
ridgrunner Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 11:35 PM
Reply to scellis: "how would they know . . ."?
Let's not be naieve. Depending on wether the parents in a family drink (doesn't have to be to excess), many kids have been around people that have drunk alcohol. This is not the prohibition era.
Wisdomfirst Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 12:20 PM
This is why...
It is so important to WAIT until all of the facts are out. Innocent until proven guilty. But it seems in this day and age, it's the other way around, and any little snot nose that has a beef with a teacher or bus driver can literally ruin their reputations with a lie.

Sheesh, I hope those kids get raked over the coals as I am sure the bus driver was.
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nepats Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 12:52 PM
Checked the kids?
I wonder if the kids were so drunk themselves they were smelling their own breath.
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Krazy_Krazy2 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 3:25 PM
Reply to nepats: very funny
hey *** the kids on the bus wernt drunk but maybe ur a** was
justmakingit Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 2:09 PM
Geez
What does the world have against bus drivers? If most of you critics had to do their job for one day, you'd be the ones on the bus drunk. Stop judging people! They get fussed at, lied on, put down and used more than any other people I know of. Kids lie and exaggerate all the time. Especially if they don't like you. The bus drivers that are usually hated are the ones trying to enforce the rules.
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devoted_rane Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 2:13 PM
results
this is the result of the transportation board not doing their job. last week the conversation was about the bus driver who supposedly had beer in her purse. the parents were outraged and the board did nothing to investigate. but what about the drivers that get away with stuff like driving while on the cell phone in rainy weather. or about the drivers that slam on their brakes when they approach the busstops? hello these people are people but driving others kids to and from school is a position they chose to take and the lives are now in their hands. i've called the school board several times about a certain bus driving erratically and not paying attention to the road. there are other parents out there with concerns about some of the same situations. so i know i'm not over reacting about the way its handled. if we called the police with more complaints about the drivers, perhaps the board would get off their butts and do their job instead of "we'll look into it".
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Livinghere Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 2:54 PM
Reply to devoted_rane: rane
I think devoted Rane is a prime candiate to become a bus driver. We surely do need more perfect people like devoted rane driving our precious children to and from school. Oh and rane about the driver who slamed on the beakes as they approched a buss stop, maybe it was their way of letting you know you were following to close.
aFTeRLiFe Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 3:54 PM
Reply to devoted_rane: Yeah...
Following to close or not, slamming brakes is not the right way to solve the problem. That just makes a bigger problem for you and the person that will have the road rage going on after you brake on them. I keep a weapon in my vehicle just incase of people that brake or really piss me off....
ridgrunner Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 4:19 PM
Reply to devoted_rane: Huh?
devoted_rane:

What on earth are you talking about? This is not the same incident as last week. Usually I agree that Transportation could be doing a better job (both for the parents and for the drivers) but in THIS situation it appears that they actually DID do their job. If what we truly want is a better run department, we need to applaud them when they get it right and hold them accountable when they don't. Bashing just for the sake of bashing is irresponsible and counter-productive.

As for the kids that reported this, of course there should be an investigation and there should be stiff consequences for wrongly accusing this man (assuming that it was malicious), but I have never yet heard of even one instance of this ever happening. Kids get away with this crap because parents defend them and the school system in general is so scared of offending the parents that they flat refuse to stand strong and hold kids accountable for their actions. This is why discipline is so lacking in the schools and it carries thru onto the busses.

I have read a lot of chatter on the Baynet here about how terrible bus drivers are and it makes me sick. Why do so many people allow a few "bad apples" to spoil it for everyone else. No matter what profession you are in, you know of some of your co-workers that are doing a substandard job. Does that mean that you are all terrible at your job? Of course not! I challenge you to really pay attention to all the busses you see (not just the ones that have bugged you in the past) and honestly assess the quality of the job they are doing. Do this realizing that there is more to their job than you can see from the outside. Then assess your own driving habits - how would someone else rate your driving? Especially if they could pick you out easily and evaluate your driving day after day. We are so quick to judge and so reluctant to cut others the slack we just automatically afford ourselves. No doubt there are many things that need to be corrected but there are a lot of GOOD drivers out there that are negatively affected by all this. They know that they are being scrutinized practically every moment and the predominant feeling is that they are "darned if they do & darned if they don't".

Do you really want to have an affect on these things? 1) Make sure that you are meeting the standards that you expect of others - with no excuses. 2) Call the police when you see a driver breaking the law - any driver of any vehicle. 3) Give a happy wave or a thumbs up to a bus driver that is doing a good job. Better yet, help them out by not pulling out too close in front of them so you don't "get stuck behind that slow bus". Make sure to stop when they have their yellow flashing lights on - the red ones are next and kids will be entering the roadway. Work with the drivers, not against them.
devoted_rane Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 4:10 PM
Reply to devoted_rane: not following...
thank you but no i wasn't even driving behind the bus, i was standing at the bus stop and she apparantly wasn't paying attention because she almost missed my daughter's stop. and for your information, the board wasn't called first. the police were this time. and i said it was a result of the board not doing their job. please read the post a bit more carefully. i'm not saying the kids are angels and i sure as hell would never consider that job. what i said was that they take the job knowing what they are getting into, they should take it seriously. there are a few really GOOD bus drivers out there. the one that drives my granddaughter for instance is a wonderful driver and genuinely cares about the kids and i thank him every day as she gets off the bus. i'm just saying there are those out there that don't pay attention to the road or the kids.
justmakingit Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 2:33 PM
Geez
What does the world have against bus drivers? If most of you critics had to do their job for one day, you'd be the ones on the bus drunk. Stop judging people! They get fussed at, lied on, put down and used more than any other people I know of. Kids lie and exaggerate all the time. Especially if they don't like you. The bus drivers that are usually hated are the ones trying to enforce the rules.
Reply to This Comment
PATRIOT1961 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 5:04 PM
Reply to justmakingit: TO JUSTMAKINGIT
ITS NOT BEING JUDGEMENTAL WHEN I(WE) SEE A BUS DRIVER SPEEDING, DRIVING ERATICALLY,OPERATING(DRIVING) A BUS WHILE USING A CELL PHONE, AND THUS REPORT A HAZARD.COME ON! YOU CANT BLAME MISBEHAVING CHILDREN FOR THE HAZRDOUS OPERATION OF A SCHOOL BUS.

INFORTUNATLEY THERE ARE THOSE THAT MAKE FALSE REPORTS DUE TO INDIFFERENCE, HATRED OR SPITE. I TRUELY DON'T THINK PEOPLE(PUBLIC)(PARENTS) HAVE IT OUT FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS.
IT'S CLEARLY WRONG TO REPORT SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY ARE DISLIKED, HATED FOR ENFORCING RULES.
MAYBE THE STUDENT MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THEY SMELLED ALCOHOL. MAYBE THE STUDENT MADE A FALSE REPORT DUE TO A VENDETTA- WE DONT KNOW AND SHOULD NOT BE ARMCHAIR CRITICS. EVIDENCE AND QUESTIONING SHOULD PROVE TRUTHS FROM LIES.

ON A SIDE NOTE -WHEN WE READ THE COMMENTS FROM THIS INCIDENT AND REREAD THE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE PRIOR INCIDENT WITH THE ALLEGED BEER CANS IN THE BUS DRIVERS PURSE, NOTE HOW THE PUBLIC COMMENTARY TAKES SUCH OPPOSITE VIEWS AND THE TONE CHANGES- ITS DISGRACEFUL HOW THE LINCH MOB TURNS OUT TO VOICE OPIONION ABOUT SOMETHING THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

AND THIS COMMENT BY LIVINGHERE "about the driver who slamed on the beakes as they approched a buss stop, maybe it was their way of letting you know you were following to close."
THAT TYPE OF STUPIDITY WAS DONE IN CALVERT TO A MAN ON A MOTOR CYCLE BECAUSE THE PERSON DRIVING THE CAR THOUGHT THE MOTORCYLE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THEM.. END RESULT WAS THAT THE GUY ON THE MOTORCYLE DIED WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE CAR WHEN THE BREAKS WHERE SLAMMED ON THE CAR. HOW SENSELESS.. THAT SOMEONE DIED BECAUSE OF THAT KIND OF MINDSET.
THANKS TO THE CONTSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS WE ARE ABLE TO VOICE OUR OPINION, HOWEVER, WE SHOULD ALWAYS INVESTIGATE, FIND THE TRUTH AND THEN FORM OUR OPINIONS .

IT'S BETTER TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ,
AND LET THEM THINK YOU ARE A FOOL
THAN TO OPEN IT AND PROVE THEM RIGHT"
INVESTIGATE AND FIND THE TRUTH BEFORE WE CRITIZE BASED ON THE LACK OF INFORMATION RUMORS, LIES ,INNUENDOS ETC.
PhatDaddy Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 9:27 AM
Reply to justmakingit: To: PATRIOT1961
It's called the Caps Lock Key. It's immediately to the left of your 'A' key. If you quit shouting at everyone, maye they'll listen to you. Until then, everyone's going to assume you're incompetent.
152941 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 3:11 PM
Wow
Hahahahaha!! This just tickles me. Of course the kids weren't searched. Ridiculous.
Reply to This Comment
Krazy_Krazy2 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 3:24 PM
The Real story
go No kid called there parent and told them because the kids on the bus had no idea what was going on i ride that bus and we had no clue what so ever was going on the police officer told us it was something that he did but he didnt smell like it cause me and my sister sit behind him they might have called on him because hes a very rude bus driver and almost all the kids walked home cause they didnt want to sit on that bus. so whatever u ppl say is ur opion
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sandnpalm Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 4:37 PM
Reply to Krazy_Krazy2: WOW!
Great Mills English teachers should be very proud of your writing skills!!
johnd Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 5:02 PM
Reply to Krazy_Krazy2: The REAL Story is here.
You say "No kid called there parent and told them because the kids on the bus"
The truth is, a child at his last stop made the call to their parent.
Livinghere Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 3:45 PM
Thank you BAYNET
I don't believe I am saying this about BAYNET, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Thank you BAYNET for reporting that the bus driver was exonerated. The article was well written and informative.
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funtime65 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 4:19 PM
Aqua Velva
The driver obviously applied a manly dose of Aqua Velva Classic aftershave before work. I do it myself every morning.
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Localboy Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 4:49 PM
bet kids are laughing
Is this the new fun trend for kids?? They'll go to jail for calling in a bomb threat on a school, so now their having fun with the bus drivers. It's become a sad world we live in.
Reply to This Comment
PATRIOT1961 Not Logged In 11/5/2009 at 5:27 PM
Reply to Localboy: JUST A NOTE
BASED ON THIS INFORMATION THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE ARTICLE "After a thorough investigation by both police and St. Mary's County Public Schools officials and after being tested, the driver of the bus proved that he was not under the influence and was released.
" WHAT IS THE SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT THIS WAS A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, WHAT PROOF DO WE HAVE AS READERS THAT THE CHILDREN ON THE BUS WERE QUESTIONED?

WHAT INFORMATION SAYS THAT THE BUS DRIVER WAS FALSELY ACCUSED.. WHAT IS ON THE ACTUAL POLICE REPORT...THE ONLY INFORMATION IS SEE IS THAT THE BUS DRIVER WAS TESTED AND WAS FOUND NOT TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

THE BANNER ON THIS ARTICLE SHOULD HAVE READ.
STUDENTS ALEGED SMELLING ALCOHOL ON BUS DRIVER, AFTER INVESTIGATING POLICE EXONERATE BUS DRIVER.
NOTHING IN THIS ARTICLE SAYS THAT THE CHILDREN MADE FALSE ACCUSATIONS.
TOO MANY LOOSE ENDS TO MAKE THIS A VIABLE NEWS REPORT. SLOPPY INVESTIGATION AS A NEW MEDIA.
mtdavis Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 7:38 AM
Reply to Localboy: Opinions
PATRIOT1961

Why are you shouting? We can read without the uppercase = shouting:

Everyone has a right to thier opinion, remember what is written on these sites is not gospel and sometimes falls short of the trueth.
PhatDaddy Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 9:02 AM
Reply to Localboy: Caps Lock
It's to the left of the 'A' Key. People will take you more seriously if you don't make yourself look like a tool.
bus101 Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 7:35 AM
bus101
The previous article, everybody wanted to hang school bus drivers. I guess know it's the kids turn.
Reply to This Comment
beamher Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 8:15 AM
Glad for the Driver
glad that it turned out that the driver wasn't drunk; it may not take away the embarrassment but suppose it turned out that he was. I truly hope the kids weren't playing around and was really concerned about the matter.
Reply to This Comment
PATRIOT1961 Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 11:45 AM
Reply to beamher: TO PHATDADDY/MTDAVIS
YOU MISSED THE WHOLE POINT.
mtdavis Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 5:40 PM
Reply to beamher: And the point is?
The point is you are ignant,,, not to be mistaken with IGNORANT. get it?

Mike in IRAQ
justmakingit Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 1:24 PM
Geez
What does the world have against bus drivers? If most of you critics had to do their job for one day, you'd be the ones on the bus drunk. Stop judging people! They get fussed at, lied on, put down and used more than any other people I know of. Kids lie and exaggerate all the time. Especially if they don't like you. The bus drivers that are usually hated are the ones trying to enforce the rules.
Reply to This Comment
mslexie269 Not Logged In 11/6/2009 at 5:32 PM
Reply to justmakingit: An Innocent Man
Thank you for what you said about the Busdriver"s. It is nice to hear that someone has a clear vision of us. We have been having a rough couple of week"s and thing's are going crazy with thing's happening with the buses and driver's
Alot of kid's misinturpet thing's that are said or they hear what they want to hear.I am a busdriver and believe me it is an adventure. I love this job, but it does have it day's and when it start's it last all day long,one thing after another. Most of my day's are good and I have great kid's on my bus, then all of a sudden they feel the need to test me and push my button's.
Anyhow, thank you for putting some postive out there for us. We get through and we work it out. It is hard to drive and listen to the children, but we multi-task on a day to day basis after all who else with the love of children and good parent's could or would do this job?


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