CaptionA Lee County school bus driver has been suspended after police say she drove her school bus drunk and knocked down two mailboxes.
The incident occurred Thursday morning around 8:00. Broadway Police, near Sanford, said they received reports that 51-year-old Bonnie Gilmore Sloan was driving her school bus erratically. They said after she dropped off the bus she was pulled over in her personal car.
Police charged her with DWI, reckless driving to endanger, misdemeanor child abuse and two counts each of injury to personal property, hit and run and leaving the scene of property damage.
James Slade said he heard the crash of the mailboxes Thursday morning.
"I just heard a loud bang and boom, and I looked out the window and saw my neighbor's mailbox was down," Slade said.
With 20 children on board, police said Sloan first knocked down a mailbox on Ruth Ann Lane before turning the corner and hitting a mailbox on West Harrington.
Neighbors said the school system replaced the two mailboxes quickly but they're left with lingering concerns.
Ronald Lilly said it was his stepson who alerted his family about the bus ride. Lilly then called police and East Lee Middle School. He said there needs to be a policy on checking out drivers.
"I would like to see something ... where they could be assured bus drivers were all right," Lilly said. "[Thursday's accident] could have been catastrophic."
A Lee County School System spokeswoman explained the current policy is that drivers start their day on their own and then check in at the school they're assigned to after they finish the route.
She said Sloan has been with the school system since August 2005 and that she has been placed on suspension without pay until the outcome of an internal investigation.
NBC 17 called and visited Sloan's home but no one answered. Sloan's next court date is Nov. 19.
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