Video shows school bus driver yelling, slurring words before DUI arrest
10/01/2019 2:35 pm PDT
via KCPQ:
LONGVIEW, Wash. (KCPQ) -- Newly released surveillance video from inside a Longview school bus shows the moments before a school bus driver was arrested for suspicion of driving drunk with kids inside.
Catherine Maccarone, 48, was arrested after a child who had just gotten off the bus called 911 and claimed the bus driver was intoxicated.
In the 911 call, the child said the driver passed three red lights, and "there's still kids on the there." The driver was wobbling, the child said, and in her eyes "you can tell she was drunk."
Before the 911 call, Maccarone is seen on surveillance video yelling at the kids while driving, saying, "You don't want me to not like you, right ... I rock, man. I'm awesome! Sit your ass down!"
A few seconds later, she yells that she wants "somebody to raise their hand and tell me something new they learned today."
"Tell me! Go ahead ... You tell me, in blue," she continued. "I actually really like this job. I like you people."
The 911 communications center contacted the school district transportation office and the bus driver was stopped after the child called 911, the Longview Police Department said.
Responding police officers "smelled an obvious odor of intoxicants coming from Maccarone," the school district said.
There were no children on board at the time of the arrest, police said, but she had just completed two afternoon bus routes.
Maccarone was arrested and charged with two counts of reckless endangerment and DUI, police said, adding that additional charges could come after the investigation is finished.
MORE: Video shows school bus driver yelling, slurring words on bus before DUI arrest - KCPQ