Florida parents arrest bus driver suspected of drunk driving during field trip

ABOVE: A look at today’s headlines. Sebring parents took action when they suspected the bus driver transporting their teenagers on a graduation trip Saturday was impaired and did not want to stop the vehicle. Keith Shifflett, 55, was charged with driving while intoxicated, child abuse without significant physical violence. harm and culpable negligence in connection with the incident, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. The group began their drive to Daytona Lagoon, an amusement park in Daytona Beach when they realized something was wrong. The passengers, including 30 students and six adult chaperones, said they suspected Shifflett was impaired and tried to convince him to stop the bus. “We went through the first red light and then that red light,” said mother Maggie Hucke. . “At that point we tell him again to stop the bus. “Please stop the bus, stop. Stop the bus. » That’s when Hucke decided to call 911 for help. Another mother remembers her daughter calling her to tell her the charter bus driver was speeding, swerving and going through red lights. “We can hear the kids screaming in the background. We can hear everyone screaming in the background,” Gissel Diaz said. Parents on board described the terror they felt as the bus continued to drive down the road. “It was extremely scary. The fact that all six of us parents were screaming extremely loudly. We were terrified,” said chaperone Rose Singleton. “I had my daughter on the bus and I thought if we got to this roundabout and he didn’t slow down we were going to turn around.” Gissel and her husband, Freddie, jumped in their car and started heading toward the bus. bus, hoping to slow it down. “We kind of took off and rushed to the bus,” Diaz said. “When we got to the roundabout here, I was like, ‘Get in front of him and let’s make him stop.'” Diaz said the bus eventually stopped at the roundabout behind the car who was braking. Hucke said it was a “miracle” that the driver decided to stop and no one was injured. Another parent, Ann Glover, described Freddie Diaz as “the hero of the day.” a danger like that, especially a big bus as fast as it was going,” Singleton said. “We thank him very, very much.” After a year of fundraising for the trip, followed by a grueling journey, the group finally made it to Daytona Lagoon. “Luckily we made it and they had a great time after all, which is what we wanted, but that incident with the bus driver almost ruined our night,” Diaz said. In a statement from the Shifflett’s employer, Holiday Coach Lines, President Michael Kanago said he had worked for the company for eight years and had always passed random drug tests and alcohol tests. shocked everyone in our company, including his fellow drivers He was immediately fired when he was arrested,” Kanago wrote. “In the 32 years that Holiday has been in business, this has never happened to us.”

SEBRING, Fla. —

ABOVE: A look at today’s headlines

Sebring parents sprang into action when they suspected the driver of the bus carrying their teenagers on a graduation trip Saturday was impaired and did not want to stop the vehicle.

Keith Shifflett, 55, was charged with driving while intoxicated, child abuse without serious bodily injury and culpable negligence in connection with the incident, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.

The group began their drive to Daytona Lagoon, an amusement park in Daytona Beach, when they realized something was wrong. The passengers, who included 30 students and six adult chaperones, said they suspected Shifflett was impaired and tried to convince him to stop the bus.

“We went through the first red light and then that red light,” said mother Maggie Hucke. “At that point we tell him again to stop the bus. “Please stop the bus, stop. Stop the bus.’

That’s when Hucke decided to call 911 for help. Another mother remembers her daughter calling to tell her the charter bus driver was speeding, swerving and going through red lights.

“You can hear the kids screaming in the background. We can hear everyone screaming in the background,” Gissel Diaz said.

Parents on board described the terror they felt as the bus continued at speed.

“It was extremely scary. The fact that all six of us parents were screaming extremely loudly. We were terrified,” said chaperone Rose Singleton. “I had my daughter on the bus and I thought if we got to this roundabout and he didn’t slow down we were going to turn around.”

Gissel and her husband, Freddie, jumped in their car and started heading toward the bus, hoping to slow it down.

“We kind of took off and rushed to the bus,” Diaz said. “When we got to the roundabout here, I was like, ‘Get in front of him and let’s make him stop.'”

Diaz said the bus eventually stopped at the roundabout behind the braking car. Hucke said it was a “miracle” that the driver decided to stop and no one was injured.

Another parent, Ann Glover, described Freddie Diaz as “the hero of the day.”

“Not everyone would put himself and his wife in such danger, especially a big bus as fast as it was going,” Singleton said. “We thank him very, very much.”

After a year of fundraising for the trip, followed by a grueling journey, the group finally reached Daytona Lagoon.

“Luckily we made it and they had a good time after all, that’s what we wanted, but that incident with the bus driver almost ruined our night,” Diaz said.

In a statement from Shifflett’s employer, Holiday Coach Lines, President Michael Kanago said he had been with the company for eight years and had always passed random drug and alcohol tests.

“This shocked everyone in our company, including his fellow drivers. He was immediately fired when he was arrested,” Kanago wrote. “In the 32 years that Holiday has been in business, this has never happened to us.”