Bus driver in Red Oak accused of drinking on duty 8:24 AM CT
08:42 AM CST on Monday, February 11, 2008
RED OAK - Parents in a North Texas school district have expressed outrage after a local bus driver was allegedly caught buying and drinking alcohol while on duty.The incident began after a Red Oak High School bus driver never returned to pick up students he dropped off Friday at a tennis tournament at Forney High School.
One mother, who did not want to be identified, said she received the information after her son, one of the student’s dropped off, called her.
“You expect your child to be safe, and all of the sudden you find out they are sitting at a Wendy’s with no bus driver,” she said.
With no sign of the bus driver, her son and fellow varsity tennis teammates waited for another driver.
Meanwhile, troopers from the Department of Public Safety said they found Vernon Eugene Allen, 60, drinking alcohol on the job. Police said they were alerted to the situation after a citizen reported seeing Allen buy beer at a grocery store. No students were on board the bus at the time.
“It’s scary,” the mother said. “You would think that someone in a position of authority would have the common sense not to do that, especially when you have all those lives in your hands.”
The district’s superintendent, Scott Niven, also expressed outrage.
“I am extremely disgusted and appalled by this situation,” Niven said. “This bus driver’s decision was reckless, careless, and his behavior is inexcusable.”
Allen works for Student Transportation Specialists, a bus company that services several school districts in Texas and Oklahoma. The company’s director of operations, Ralph Williams, said Allen was hired in September after passing a background check and did not have a history of any problems.
“This is a violation of the company’s rules and regulations,” Williams said. “We have a no tolerance policy, and there are no second chances.”
STS said Allen was fired and that the company plans to meet with the district Monday morning. Red Oak ISD officials said they now want STS to check the records for every driver the company uses to transport students in the district.
The mother of the tennis player said she also wants coaches, teachers and administrators to be more vigilant.
“To make sure that these people are responsible,” she said. “And if they want to drink that they do it on their own time, not when are children our in their hands.”
According to school officials, the package of beer was not opened, but two other containers were.
Allen faces misdemeanor charges including possession of an intoxicating beverage on duty, and alcohol measured and detected while in control of a commercial vehicle. He was not charged with a DWI.
1 Comment
February 11, 2008 at 10:06 am
Niven’s outraged?
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