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Judge suspects school bus driver charged with DUI showed up drunk to court
A Florida school bus driver accused of driving drunk while children were on board the bus was in a Flagler County courtroom on Monday. The hearing was delayed because the judge suspected Mark McNeil was impaired after authorities said he showed up two hours late.
BUNNELL, Fla. - A Florida school bus driver who is accused of driving drunk with children on board his bus was in a Flagler County courtroom on Monday.
It was a chaotic hearing that was delayed by more than two hours after authorities said the accused, Mark McNeil, showed up late to court.
Once the hearing began, the former bus driver kept interrupting the judge, trying to apologize for his alleged actions. The judge eventually brought a stop to the hearing.
"I think you are impaired," the judge said to McNeil. "We want to get you tested for drugs and alcohol."
But McNeil refused to comply, telling the judge he was "not getting tested." That's when the judge ordered McNeil to be placed into custody.
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At first, McNeil denied the accusations that he was drunk in the courtroom but ultimately told the judge, "No, I am impaired."
McNeil is facing charges of 14 counts of felony child neglect. He is accused of driving a Flagler County school bus drunk four times the legal limit in the afternoon earlier this year in February. According to an arrest report, his coworkers said they smelled alcohol on McNeil, and after they reported it to his supervisors, McNeil still got on a bus for his route to which he was not assigned.
He was taken away in handcuffs and the court is expected to reconvene on Wednesday.