Keith Shifflett, 55, was charged with DUI, child abuse without great bodily harm and culpable negligence in connection with the incident, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
A Florida bus driver was arrested for several charges including driving under the influence after being stopped while driving high school students on a field trip Saturday, cops said.
Keith Shifflett, 55, was charged with DUI, child abuse without great bodily harm and culpable negligence in connection with the incident, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
Passengers on the bus said they were on their way to Daytona Lagoon, an amusement park in Daytona Beach when they realized something was wrong, WESH reported.
Passengers among the 30 students and six adult chaperones said they suspected Shifflett, who had run several red lights, was impaired and tried to get him to stop the bus according to WESH.
“We drove through the first red light, and then drove through that red light," one of the adults on the bus, Maggie Hucke, spoke to WESH. "At that point, again we are telling him now to stop the bus. 'Please stop the bus, pull over. Stop the bus.'"
Another parent, who was in their personal vehicle traveling with the group, actually pulled in front of the bus and stopped their vehicle, causing Shifflett to stop the bus, cops told the Daily Ridge.
Law enforcement arrived on the scene and after speaking to Shifflett, said they believed him to be impaired.
Shifflett performed standardized field sobriety exercises and was subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, cops said.
Cops say that because of Shifflett’s alleged course of conduct, in which he allegedly showed a wanton or reckless disregard for human life and safety and that he exposed 30 passengers to personal injury, he was charged with 30 counts of culpable negligence.
Cops also said that because Shifflett allegedly committed an intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child, he was charged with four counts of child abuse.
Inside Edition Digital has reached out to the Highlands County Court Clerk for more information and in an email say, "Mr. Shifflett has been referred to the office of the Public Defender and no plea has been entered."
Inside Edition Digital has confirmed that Shifflett is currently being held in the Highlands County Jail without bond.
In a statement from Shifflett’s employer, Holiday Coach Lines, President Michael Kanago told WESH that the arrested driver has been with the company for eight years and has always passed random drug and alcohol screenings.
“This has shocked everyone in our company, including his fellow drivers. He was immediately terminated when he was arrested,” Kanago told WESH. “In the 32 years Holiday has been in business, this has never happened to us.”
The teenagers were all able to safely make it to Daytona Lagoon in another bus and several other cars, FOX 13 reported.
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