Ojai School Bus Driver Arrested for DUI
Kim Fullenwider, 53, was arrested in Ojai, California, on suspicion of drunk driving after making a U-turn in front of an approaching pick-up. Although there were no reported injuries, Fullenwider was driving a school bus full of children at the time of the 7:30 a.m. incident.
The 19-year bus driving veteran was booked into the Ventura County Jail on misdemeanor charges of (1) California Vehicle Code 23152a Driving under the Influence, (2) California Vehicle Code 23152b Driving with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or above, and (3) Penal Code 273a Child Endangerment.
Lucky for the 25+ kids on board that no one was hurt. Even luckier for Fullenwider was the fact that none of those kids (nor the driver of the truck who hit her) were injured or even killed.
If the scenario had been different and any or all of those individuals suffered injuries or were killed, Fullenwider could have been charged under California Vehicle Code 23153 DUI with Injury, or under California Penal Code 191.5(b) Vehicular Manslaughter while Intoxicated.
If charged with DUI with injury, Fullenwider could have faced felony charges and a California State Prison sentence of up to nine years…assuming that was her first offense (which, as a school bus driver, would probably be an accurate assumption).
If charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, she could have faced felony charges and a state prison sentence of up to ten years, depending on the ages of the injured children.
