HEMPSTEAD, L.I. — A Long Island school bus driver was arrested Monday afternoon after allegedly driving intoxicated with a bus full of children, according to police.
Hempstead officers arrived at the corner of South Franklin and Grove streets around 4:50 p.m. for a welfare check of a woman seen slumped over the steering wheel of a school bus, authorities said.
While cops attended to the driver, identified later as Mercedes Parada of Hempstead, they observed multiple clues indicating the presence of alcohol, officials said.
According to police, upon further investigation, it became clear to the officers that the 29-year-old bus driver was intoxicated.
Parada was arrested at the scene, officials said.
All the children were accounted for and safely released to their parents, police said.
The ages or grade levels of the students on the bus are not known.
The bus driver was charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated (child under 15) under the Leandra Law, and endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.
She was arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Hempstead.
Police said their investigation was ongoing Wednesday.
