A Florida school bus driver was arrested this week after allegedly driving around with 40 children while four times over the legal alcohol limit.
Mark McNeil, 60, was arrested on Wednesday after deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said McNeil himself called in a medical emergency while en route, with a co-worker also having reported him to supervisors for smelling of alcohol.
He had departed from Buddy Taylor Middle School earlier that day with a bus load of middle school-aged students.
‘This drunk thought it was OK to endanger 40 children and other drivers by driving a loaded school bus significantly impaired,’ Sheriff Rick Staly told Fox 35.
‘Thankfully, no one was hurt as a result of his actions. I commend the employee who reported him to school officials. Anyone whose careless actions endangers lives of children and other drivers deserves to be locked up, which he was.’
Mark McNeil, 60, pictured. was arrested on Wednesday after driving around with 40 children in the wrong bus while four times over the legal alcohol limit
In the 43 second clip of McNeil’s arrest posted online by the sheriff’s department, he could be heard yelling ‘do not hit me!’ to the deputies as they cuffed him
McNeil had reportedly tried to flee after being taken to a nearby hospital, however officers quickly arrested him
‘Keeping his usual routine, McNeil would attempt to pick up his school bus. However, he would drive off in a bus not assigned to him and proceed to his usual pick-up location at Buddy Taylor Middle School to pick up students on his afternoon route,’ the sheriff’s office said.
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While en route, McNeil reportedly used the bus radio onboard to alert the school district that he was having a medical emergency.
His supervisor eventually found McNeil on his route, with dozens of school children in the bus.
The supervisor told police that McNeil fell to the ground when exiting the bus while stating he could not breathe, according to the arrest report.
Pictured: Emergency vehicles, first responders arrived to the scene after McNeil called in a medical emergency
He had departed from Buddy Taylor Middle School, pictured, earlier that day, with a bus load of middle school-aged students
However, McNeil reportedly tried to flee once taken to a nearby hospital before being arrest.
In the 43 second clip of McNeil’s arrest posted online by the sheriff’s department, he could be heard yelling ‘do not hit me!’ to the deputies as they cuffed him.
McNeil was charged with driving under the influence with passengers under 18, resisting an officer without violence, as well as one charge of child neglect as of Friday.
He could face upwards of 39 more counts of child neglect, one for every child on the bus at the time of the incident.
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