Bus Driver Claimed to be Driving Under the Influence
The Worcester Telegram recently reported of a school bus driver who had his license suspended as a result of an immediate threat complaint filed by the Worcester Police Department. Apparently, the bus driver was involved in a “road rage” incident with a motorist who was following the school bus. The motorist reported that the bus driver was “exhibiting odd behavior” and the police stopped the bus as a result thereof.
When the bus driver, who apparently has a clean driving record, told the police that he had been prescribed Oxycontin, the police officer filed, with the Mass. RMV, an immediate threat report wherein he wrote “OUI,” suggesting that the driver had been operating under the influence. Immediately after the incident, the bus driver took drug and alcohol tests which were negative.
The bus driver has filed an internal affairs complaint against the Worcester Police Officer who stopped him and filed the immediate threat complaint. When the RMV receives immediate threat notices, it immediately suspends the driver’s license and schedules a hearing at the RMV Driver Control Unit in Boston. The Worcester Police claimed that the officer “erred on the side of caution” when he filed the report with the Registry.
Certainly, a school bus driver who is driving a busload of students while under the influence of Oxycontin is a serious issue. Here, however, it seems that the driver was no doing so. Instead, he was the victim of an angry motorist who reported him to the police, who “erred on the side of caution” when they filed the report which resulted in the immediate suspension of the driver’s license. The Worcester Telegram article was the most commented on Today, and it had received 94 comments at the time of this post.
