In a shocking incident out of Minnesota, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office (SLCSO) arrested school bus driver Anthony Israelson on Wednesday for driving while intoxicated (DWI) with 17 children on board.
Israelson was stopped during his morning route after deputies were tipped off by a concerned citizen who alleged they had seen him drinking alcohol the previous night. The caller feared Israelson wouldn’t be sober by the time he started his route in the morning.
According to the SLCSO, deputies initially visited Israelson’s home after 6 a.m. on Sept. 4 to investigate the claim. Israelson reportedly told law enforcement that he wasn’t working that day, and the local school district was informed of the situation. However, just an hour later, deputies learned that Israelson had indeed started his bus route, prompting authorities to act swiftly. The SLCSO successfully pulled over the bus, and fortunately, none of the children were injured in the incident.
A preliminary breath test conducted at the scene revealed Israelson’s blood alcohol content (BAC) to be .16, twice the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle. Under Minnesota law, there is zero tolerance for school bus drivers operating while under the influence, regardless of BAC level.
The children aboard the bus, all students from Southridge School in Alborn, were safely transferred to school district staff, and parents were promptly notified of the incident.
“We take the safety of our students and staff very seriously,” said St. Louis County School District Superintendent Dr. Reggie Engebritson, emphasizing the district’s commitment to cooperation with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.
One of the affected parents, Cassie Williams, expressed her outrage over the incident. “We all could have lost our kids on the second day of school over something that was 100 percent preventable,” she told Northern News Now.
Disturbingly, this wasn’t Israelson’s first brush with the law. He had a prior drunk driving conviction from 2005, along with a history of speeding and driving without a seatbelt, raising serious concerns about how he was cleared to drive a school bus.
As school districts across the country face bus driver shortages, this incident underscores the need for rigorous vetting to ensure the safety of students on their daily commutes.
