Dangerous Ride: New Jersey School Bus Driver Accused of Driving Students While Under the Influence of Alcohol

A bus driver in New Jersey was arrested on multiple charges after she allegedly transported dozens of kids to school while under the influence of alcohol, according to authorities.

Around 9:10 a.m. on Feb. 9, police were tipped off by the boyfriend of 48-year-old Suzanne Stoms, who said Stoms could be transporting school children while intoxicated, according to the Clayton Police Department.

The boyfriend confirmed to WPVI that he did call the police, but said he didn’t want to get Stoms in trouble and was just trying to get her some help for her alleged drinking.

The call from her boyfriend prompted police to alert officers to track down the bus Stoms was driving, which had 23 elementary-aged students onboard, authorities said.

Stoms was issued a field sobriety test and later a chemical breath test, both of which she failed, the criminal complaint states.

In the Facebook post for Clayton Police Department, one parent commented, “She picked up my son this morning. I am so livid!!!! These are babies!!!!”

In a letter to parents, Clayton Public School District Superintendent Nikolaus Koutsogiannis said the students onboard the bus were safely transported back to school by a substitute bus driver.

Koutsogiannis added, "It goes without saying that this is behavior that will not be tolerated, and we will be terminating the employee effective immediately…The safety of students and staff is always a top priority for our school district."

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Stoms was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, drunk driving, commercial driver’s license DUI, DUI with minor passengers, and reckless driving, officials said.

She was released from police custody and is expected to appear in court again on March 21.