BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, SC (WIS) - The school bus driver who was fired for allegedly driving a school bus drunk and causing an accident in April has requested a jury trial.
Batesburg-Leesville Police Chief Wallace Oswald said 61-year-old Walter Davidson was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, but because he asked for a jury trial, his court date has not yet been determined.
Davidson was fired less than 24 hours after being arrested for DUI after an accident involving three school buses at Batesburg-Leesville Elementary School.
A spokesperson with Lexington County School District Three said the district terminated Davidson's employment after he was formally charged with DUI and child endangerment during his first court appearance.
Police say Davidson's blood-alcohol level was .20, or five times the legal limit of .04 for a commercial driver, when he was involved in the April 19 accident.
Batesburg-Leesville Police say the accident happened in the school's bus loading zone. A total of eighty-nine students were on the three buses at the time of the accident.
"Number one bus pulled in. They were going to load at the elementary school and park. Number two bus pulled in and parked. Number three bus was pulling in which was the one that caused the accident, which the defendant was driving. He did not stop," Batesburg-Leesville Police Chief Wallace Oswald said.
Initially, none of the student reported injuries. But later, several parents reported their children were experiencing headaches or back pain.
According to an incident report, officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from Davidson when they began to investigate the accident.
Davidson was charged with driving under the influence and child endangerment. He was being held at the police department on $2,712 bond.
The collision resulted in broken glass on two of the buses, and a dented back end on one of them.
The district has urged parents to have kids checked out by doctors and to provide the district with any bills that might result from those visits to the doctor's office.
The district says they screen drivers through SLED for any driving infractions within the past 10 years. They also conduct random screenings for drugs and alcohol.
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Walter Davidson (Source: Batesburg-Leesville Police Dept.)
