Drunk DC School Bus Driver Injures 9 Students After Veering Off Road On Field Trip

Officials charged a bus driver in Washington, D.C. with drunk driving after police claimed he injured nine kids returning from a field trip when he crashed into a ditch.

Troy Reynolds, 48, was driving children and adults from Cox Farms in Centreville, Virginia, to Murch Elementary School in Washington, D.C., when he went off the road, according to Fairfax County Police in Virginia.

"Reynolds continued driving until the adults on the bus convinced him to follow a second bus, which was also returning to the school from the field trip," police said in a press release. "The two buses stopped in a parking lot in," cops added.

The bus struck a rock, bending the rim and flattening the tire as it was carrying 44 children and four adults.

Reynolds allegedly didn't stop driving; instead, according to the police, he kept going until adults on the bus persuaded him to join a second bus returning from the field trip.

According to the news release, police and fire personnel were sent to the parking lot and treated nine kids for minor wounds.

Officials transferred Reynolds to the adult jail facility after failing a field sobriety test. He allegedly had a blood alcohol level of .20, which is higher than Virginia's .08 legal limit.

The incident is being treated "very seriously" according to D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee, who also promised to do "a thorough review of our transportation vendors to ensure that student safety is always prioritized."

In addition to having a fake medical card, Reynolds' license was allegedly found to be suspended in Maryland and Virginia due to a prior DWI.

Both of the drivers lacked the necessary licenses to operate a school bus, according to FCPD's Motor Carrier Safety (MCS) unit (per People), which also responded to the site.

A third bus that arrived to replace the damaged bus was also placed out of service for safety breaches.

MCS also recorded a total of 18 safety infractions on the two buses.

"We thank the Murch Elementary teachers and staff who ensured the students' safety on their field trip today," D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee shared in a statement on Thursday on Twitter.

"We appreciate the support of Fairfax County law enforcement, who welcomed students at a nearby training facility as they awaited transportation back to the school. DCPS takes this incident very seriously, and our teams will [thoroughly review] our transportation vendors to ensure that student safety is always prioritized. We are incredibly thankful that no one sustained injuries during this frightening incident," Ferebee added.