Prosecutors: Bus Driver Charged With Third OUI Ran Red Lights
FRAMINGHAM (CBS) – The school bus driver who was arrested for drunken driving Saturday night has lost his commercial license for good.
Robert Murphy, 59, faced a judge Monday and was taken back into custody until a hearing scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
Murphy was driving a busload of Hopkinton High School cross country runners from Falmouth back to the school when the team's coach became alarmed by his driving. She reported it to police who met the bus at Hopkinton High School and performed a field sobriety test, then arrested the bus driver.
"We were heading home from a race down in Cape Cod and yeah there were a few things that I finally put together," explained Jennifer Fairbanks, the Hopkinton High Boys Cross Country coach. "I called the Hopkinton police and had them meet us at the school."
Prosecutors said witnesses described the ride where Murphy allegedly veered onto the rumble strips on the side of the highway, ran at least three red lights, swerved and drove at varying speeds.
They also testified that people on board the bus smelled alcohol on Murphy.
Prosecutors said Murphy performed poorly during a police sobriety check that was done at Hopkinton High School.
According to the police report, Murphy told responding officers "You got me" as he performed the field sobriety test.
In addition, police said that Murphy told them "This could be a good thing. I really think I need this."
Murphy has a drunken driving record going back 30 years, but he's been working as a regular driver in Hopkinton since 2006. But police say he did meet state requirements to be a driver because background checks only went back five years.
"Unfortunately the offenses were a little further back and therefore he was eligible to drive," Hopkinton Police Chief Edward Lee said at a press conference.
The bus company employing Murphy had no comment.
Murphy is scheduled to be back in court at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
"That story was very scary," said one parent whose two daughters go to Hopkinton High School. "I'm glad [the coach] did something about it."
The Hopkinton superintendent said stricter screening policies for school drivers are now in place.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports:
WBZ-TV's Chris McKinnon contributed to this report
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