A Naperville woman was arrested this week for allegedly crashing a school bus that transports children with special needs while driving under the influence in Lombard.
Lauren Williams, 34, was charged with one count of aggravated DUI as a school bus driver — a Class 4 felony — and one count of driving too fast for conditions or failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, according to a joint news release from DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and Lombard police Chief Tom Wirsing.
Williams was taken into custody Monday after the Lombard Police Department responded to a call about 12:50 p.m. reporting that a school bus crashed into an in-ground junction box in the 300 block of West St. Charles Road in Lombard, authorities said in their release. When they arrived, officers found Williams on the phone in the driver’s seat of the bus.
After an investigation into the crash, it is alleged that after Williams had dropped off the last of her passengers, she drove off of the road, over a curb and struck the junction box. Only Williams and a children’s aide needing transport were inside the bus at the time of the incident, authorities said.
Following the crash, Williams allegedly drove to a nearby Walgreens parking lot.
When speaking with Williams, officers allegedly observed signs of impairment, including slow and delayed speech, droopy eyelids and trouble keeping her eyes open.
Williams’ first court appearance was Tuesday, where a DuPage County judge denied her pre-trial release.
“The allegations that Ms. Williams was under the influence of an intoxicating substance while she was driving a school bus full of children are disturbing,” Berlin said in his joint release. “The type of behavior alleged in this case that put the lives of the children on the bus, as well as those of the motoring public in danger, will not be tolerated in DuPage County.
“Thankfully, there were no children aboard the bus at the time of the crash and Ms. Williams’ alleged actions did not harm anyone.”
Williams’ next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 7.
