Authorities allege Bethann Sweeney, 53, of Hanover, was driving drunk Thursday night with nearly 30 special needs athletes on board the bus.
A Massachusetts school bus driver accused of driving a bus full of special needs athletes while under the influence appeared in court on Friday to face OUI and child endangerment charges.
Members of Hingham‘s Unified Basketball were on the bus Thursday night and headed home after a Special Olympics closing ceremony, when one of the passengers called 911 around 6 p.m. to report that the bus was swerving in and out of lanes on Route 3 north, just south of Exit 27, and had run a red light.
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Troopers responded and located the bus as it exited onto Route 139 in Pembroke and pulled it over in a Friendly's lot. The troopers asked the bus driver, Bethann Sweeney, 53, of Hanover, to step off the bus, which she did. They said she appeared to be unsteady on her feet and they detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from her. She also sounded and appeared to be intoxicated.
Police say Sweeney told them she hadn’t been drinking, but rather was tired and had recently taken her medications. In court Friday, prosecutors said Sweeney then asked police, "Am I going to be on the news?"
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After conducting field sobriety tests, Sweeney was placed under arrest for operating under the influence of alcohol. Police say she eventually said to them, "it was only a matter of time before I got caught." During a subsequent inventory of her belongings, state police said a 23.7-ounce Poland Springs water bottle was found. It was half empty and smelled strongly of alcohol.
State police said a further investigation determined that Sweeney, who has 20 years of driving experience, had picked up the 28 passengers, ages 14 to 20, and two adult supervisors, at Plymouth North High School, where they had attended the Special Olympics closing ceremony. The bus was supposed to bring them back to Hingham High School. State police initially said there were about 40 students riding on the bus at the time.
The adult passengers told state police that the bus was swerving across the road and that Sweeney had tried to get onto Route 3 south, which was the wrong direction to return to Hingham High School. When told she was heading in the wrong direction, she allegedly ran a red light and then managed to get onto Route 3 north, again swerving across the road and driving over rumble strips multiple times.
State police said Sweeney was held overnight at their Norwell barracks on $2,540 cash bail. She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Friday in Plymouth District Court where she hid behind her attorney. She is charged with operating under the influence of liquor, child endangerment while operating under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, open container of alcohol and reckless endangerment of a child. She was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail and is expected back in court next month. According to her attorney, Sweeney regrets the events of the day.
Hingham school officials reacted to the news, saying in part, "We are deeply concerned by the incident, and, more importantly, the distress this caused our students. We are grateful to our staff on board the bus, who responded immediately, acted quickly and responsibly, to protect the safety of our students."
No one was injured. All of the students were transported home safely after the incident.
