A Denver-area school bus driver was unsteady on his feet, smelled of alcohol and admitted to drinking before picking up children, authorities say.
Michael Hobbs, 54, who works for the Cherry Creek School District, appeared to be “highly intoxicated” when he was stopped, an Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputy wrote in an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit shows Hobbs blew only a .015 blood alcohol percentage when given a portable breath test — well below the legal driving limit of .08 — but authorities say he could have also been under the influence of substances other than alcohol.
Hobbs told a deputy he had a beer at lunch and took four flu medications earlier in the day. The affidavit says Hobbs declined to ask questions about taking pain medication for his bad knees.
A sample of Hobbs’ blood was taken for testing.
Hobbs was arrested after deputies were called about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday to the 6700 block of East Costilla Avenue on reports that he was driving drunk.
Hobbs drives a West Middle School route, said Tustin Amole, a school district spokeswoman.
A district staffer at the school suspected Hobbs of having alcohol on his breath, Amole said. The staffer quickly notified the district’s transportation office, but by that time the school bus was loaded and on the road.
A radio transmission was sent to Hobbs, who had just dropped off all the students on board at a stop. He was told to remain there, Amole said. That’s when deputies made the arrest.
The school district notified the parents of the students who were on the bus after the incident.
Hobbs is also accused of child abuse.
“We’re very disappointed,” Amole said of the incident. “The safety of our students is a very high priority.”
Hobbs, who has been driving with the district since October, will “not return to work,” Amole said.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
