CAMDEN — A Preble Shawnee bus driver was taken into custody by Preble County Sheriff’s Deputies Wednesday morning following an accident that occurred on Camden Rd, west of U.S. 127. The driver reportedly refused to submit to a sobriety test.
Amy L. Jones, 44, of Gratis, was at the wheel when the bus reportedly struck a road sign. According to a press statement issued by the Sheriff’s Office, the bus sustained very minor damage in the collision and, though there were students on board, no one was injured.
“When the bus returned to the transportation barn at Preble Shawnee High School, the School Resource Officer assigned to the school determined that the driver showed signs of being impaired,” the statement reads. “The bus driver was placed under arrest and transported to the Sheriff’s Office. [She] refused to submit to a chemical test.”
The statement further claims that alcohol has been ruled out as a factor in the crash. Jones was ultimately cited for Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI) and Child Endangerment. She is slated to appear in Eaton Municipal Court on Monday, Aug. 26.
“It was a very minor crash,” Sheriff Mike Simpson told The Register-Herald. “But because there were children on the bus we felt it was appropriate to make an arrest.”
Preble Shawnee Superintendent Matt Bishop also issued a press statement when asked to comment on the crash.
“This morning, a Preble Shawnee School District school bus was involved in an accident. It didn’t involve another vehicle and no students were injured,” the prepared statement reads. “The bus sustained minor damage and remained operable. The bus returned to the high school and the driver was placed on administrative leave, according to board policy. The matter is under investigation.”
