Testing Shows Bus Driver Was Not DUI In Crash
A school bus driver in Oregon who was arrested on suspicion of driving a school bus while under the influence of alcohol will not be prosecuted.
The Houston Chronicle reports that the Washington County District Attorney’s Office made the announcement on Wednesday, December 4th. Jonathan Gates, 20, who was driving a school bus with 10 students and a teacher’s aide on board in Forest Grove, Oregon, will not be charged because he was not drunk at the time.
Police had charged him with both DUI and reckless endangerment when he crashed the school bus into a ditch. Sobriety and blood alcohol tests that were conducted at the time of the crash revealed that Gates had a blood alcohol level of 0.00%. Tests for narcotics and other drugs also showed he had nothing in his system that would have contributed to the crash.
According to official reports, Gates fully cooperated with police officers. Gates had told Washington County Sheriff’s deputies that he had gotten up at approximately 4:00 a.m. with a headache and was unable to get back to sleep.
Video footage obtained from the school bus showed Gates looking somewhat drowsy just before crashing the bus.
Washington County Deputy District Attorney, Matt Wise, told reporters that based on the evidence, the state is unable to prove that Gates’ actions were criminally negligent.