Coach stops school bus, driver charged with DUI
A bus driver has been suspended after he was accused of taking members of the Highland Park High School girls basketball team to a Saturday tournament in Elk Grove Village while drunk.
Juan Garcia, 51, of Skokie, had a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit, Deerfield Police Deputy Chief Tom Keane said, and alcohol was hidden on the bus.
Garcia is charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of alcohol over the legal limit, and illegal transportation of alcohol by the Lake County state's attorney's office, Keane said.
Carol Votsmier, a spokeswoman with Township High School District 113, said the freshman and sophomore girls' basketball teams boarded a bus driven by Garcia and left Highland Park High School Saturday at about 1:30 p.m. for a tournament in Elk Grove Village.
Roughly 10 minutes after leaving the high school, the team coach, who was riding on the bus, and a parent following the bus in a separate car noticed the bus weaving in and out of traffic, Votsmier said.
The coach told Garcia, who has worked for the district for "four or five years," to pull the bus over and got the students off before contacting the school athletic director and explaining the situation, Votsmier said.
Votsmier said the athletic director drove to the scene and contacted police.
She said none of the students were injured in the incident but admitted their safety was compromised during the trip.
"The safety of the students is definitely our No. 1 priority, and when it was discovered the bus driver was impaired, the bus was told to stop and the students were removed," she said.
Keane said police were called to the 200 block of Oakmont Drive at 1:55 p.m. and determined on the scene that Garcia was intoxicated. He was taken to the Deerfield police station where he submitted to a Breathalyzer test.
The test result showed Garcia's blood alcohol level was twice the legal threshold of 0.08, Keane said. He was unable to release the exact number.
Garcia was taken from the Deerfield police station to Lake County bond court on Nov. 18. He was remanded on a $20,000 bond, Keane said.
Votsmier said a second bus driver was able to drive the girls to the tournament. The girls made it to the tournament safely and on time.
District Superintendent George Fornero drafted a letter explaining the situation to parents. The letter was copied and sent home with members of the team after the tournament.
A second letter was also drafted and e-mailed out to all parents in the district on Monday, Votsmier said.
The letter explained the situation and how the district intends to prevent future such incidents, she said.
"All employees are given a drug and alcohol screening annually and when they are hired," she said.
"Also, during the week, the bus supervisor has individual meetings with drivers prior to them leaving for their route."
She said during field trips and on weekends a bus supervisor does not speak with bus drivers. She said the district intends to make sure drivers are talked to before trips taking place when a supervisor isn't present.
"We need to be more proactive regarding this situation during field trips and on weekends," she said.