Indiana School Bus Driver Charged After Allegedly Driving Drunk

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Parents put a lot of trust in drivers when a big yellow school bus shows up to take their children to school. These individuals are responsible for safely transporting precious cargo — and the last thing caregivers would expect is their being under the influence. However, an Indiana school bus driver faces charges after allegedly driving drunk.

Kayla Pier, 38, was recently arrested after resigning for allegedly doing just that in Indiana. The former LaPorte Community School Corporation employee is accused of being intoxicated while driving her school bus route. And now, she faces serious charges for the alleged crimes.

On December 28, 2024, Pier surrendered to police, according to a December 28 news release from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. Police charged her with “operating while intoxicated and neglect of a dependent.”

The charges came after months of investigation after Pier allegedly drove while drunk with 32 students on her school bus.

On September 20, students on the bus started making reports “regarding the driving behaviors and mannerisms of Pier,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The transportation director “immediately responded to Riley Elementary School and intercepted the bus being operated by Pier,” the sheriff’s office said. “Pier was removed from the bus and school administrators continued to investigate. Later that same day, Pier resigned from the corporation.”

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On October 21, the school district reported the incident to police, according to the sheriff’s office. The move came after the district received a toxicology report from Pier.

“Earlier this Fall, students aboard one of our buses demonstrated exceptional judgment and courage by reporting concerning behavior from their driver to school administrators,” the LaPorte Community School Corporation noted in a December 28 news release via Facebook “Their quick thinking and willingness to speak up enabled us to take immediate action to ensure student safety.”

The LaPorte Community School Corporation praised students for reporting the behavior.

“We are incredibly proud of our students, who recognized something was wrong and reported their concerns responsibly,” the district noted in the December 28 news release. “Their actions exemplify the ‘see something, say something’ principles we teach in our schools. These students potentially prevented a serious incident through their alertness and responsible decision-making.”

Additionally, the police captain commended the students for coming forward. “The courageous students aboard the bus who reported the behaviors of the accused are publicly commended,” police captain Derek Allen said in a statement, per WNDU. “Their attention to detail and prompt actions may have prevented a tragedy from occurring.”