Police: Drunk School Bus Driver Finished Route With 50 Children

(MYFOX CHICAGO) - A school bus driver in suburban Chicago, who allegedly drove a bus full of students while nearly three times the legal blood alcohol limit, was suspended and charged with aggravated DUI last week.

Betty Burden, 54, allegedly smelled of booze and had a blood alcohol level of 0.226 when she was arrested last week in Mount Prospect, Ill. prosecutors said.

Burden admitted having several vodka and oranges before driving 50 students home from Lions Park Elementary School, said Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney.

A co-worker noticed the smell on her breath at 2:30 p.m., police said, but Burden's supervisor didn't alert police until 3:45 p.m.

Her supervisor, Vincente Ramirez, is accused of letting her finish her route , despite suspicions she had been drinking. Wednesday the supervisor was placed on administrative leave, according to the Chicago Tribune

Burden wasn't arrested until she had completed her route and dropped off all of her young passengers, according to Mount Prospect Police. She failed a series of sobriety tests before failing the blood alcohol test, police said.

"What happened was totally unacceptable," School District 57 Board President Joe Leane said.

She has been suspended without pay and faces termination at a meeting this week, according to a school district news release.

Source: MyFox Chicago