Gowanda, NY (WBEN) A Silver Creek school bus driver is charged with multiple felony counts of DWI after deputies say she was under the influence of drugs while driving children to school.
Tuesday, Erie County Sheriff's Deputies responded to Route 438 and Woodchuck Road on the Seneca Nation of Indians Territory following a request from SNI Marshals. Deputies say Marshals initiated a traffic stop after observing a school bus swerve into oncoming traffic.
While speaking with the driver, investigators say a Marshal observed signs of impairment. A Sheriff's Deputy administered standard field sobriety tests, which 63 year old Marianne Clayton failed. Deputies add a Sheriff's Drug Recognition Expert transported Clayton to the North Collins Substation and performed a drug evaluation, and found her impaired by drugs.
Clayton was arrested and charged with three felony counts of aggravated DWI with a child in the vehicle, a misdemeanor count of DWI-Drugs, and seven counts of endangering the welfare of a child. She was released to a sober third party.
Deputies say at the time, nine Gowanda Central School students were on the bus and were heading to the Lakeshore BOCES. The Gowanda School Resource Officer assisted with notifying guardians and arranging transportation for the students.
