Howard County, Ind.—
A Kokomo Center Township School system bus driver is under arrest for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Police said the driver had students on the bus at the time.The Howard County Sheriff's Department arrested Theresa Mast, 56, of Kokomo on Saturday morning on operating a vehicle while intoxicated charge.
Investigators said she was transporting the girl's varsity swim team to an event in Richmond around 8 a.m., when sheriff's dispatch received calls that the bus driver was driving erratically on U.S. 31.
“The lady that was driving the girl’s team bus is drunk,” said the caller in the 911 call. “The coach made her pull over because she about wrecked the bus several times.”
A school official on the bus convinced her to pull over and let the students off the bus. None of them were hurt. Another bus picked up the students and the coaching staff.
Transportation officials tried to contact Mast by radio and let her know someone would come for the bus but they said she drove her bus to Gas America at U.S. 31 and SR 26, where she was confronted and detained by deputies.
Mast consented to a blood draw at St. Joseph Hospital. Investigators said her blood alcohol content was found to be .20. Deputies arrested her for driving while intoxicated, a Class D felony.
Kokomo-Center Communications Director David Barnes said the school system is working with investigators.
In a news release, school officials expressed their apologies for Mast's actions.
"Based on the police reports, the employee has been placed on unpaid leave pending a recommendation to the Board of School Trustees for termination," the release stated.
The Howard County Sheriff’s Department held a press conference Monday morning to give additional information on Mast’s arrest. They said she is still in jail and will have a pretrial conference Tuesday.
In addition to the DWI charge, police announced Mast faces a charge for the endangerment of children.
