Drunken And Drugged Driver Passes Walpole School Bus, Hitting Car

WALPOLE, MA — Walpole police are stressing the importance of traffic safety during school hours after a car tried passing a stopped school bus on Wednesday afternoon and hit a car in the opposite lane. Police said the person driving the car was drunk and under the influence of drugs.

The bus was unloading students ready to start their Thanksgiving break, when the car tried swerving around the bus. The car hit another car, head on, that was stopped in the opposite lane. Police said no students were injured, posting on Twitter, "Thankful, tragedy avoided."

Police said when they stopped the driver, they found an open container of marijuana sitting in the car.

This incident comes just two weeks after the department announced a crackdown on school traffic and safety, following complaints from parents about drivers passing stopped school buses. The penalty for passing a stopped school bus is $200 on the first offense and repeat offenders have their license suspended.

The department will continue it's focus on school traffic and safety, using its Mobile Operations Unit.