Woman accused of driving drunk, hitting 9-year-old boy getting off school bus in Haverhill
HAVERHILL - A woman went before a judge Friday on charges that she was drunk behind the wheel when she hit a boy getting off a school bus in Haverhill.
Tiffany Zembower, 44, faces numerous charges, including OUI with serious injury and operating with a suspended license. The judge revoked her bail because it was her second drunk driving arrest.
Investigators said on Thursday, just after 5:30 p.m., a 9-year-old boy was getting off his school on Main Street when she struck him with her pickup truck.
"The child got out and was walking across Main Street with the flashing stop light. Multiple witnesses who stayed on scene described in different ways seeing the 9-year-old child be lifted 6 to 7 feet out of the air," said prosecutor Mark Hintlian. Witnesses' cellphone video and neighbors' Ring camera video show the Toyota Tacoma just moments after the terrifying incident.
Stephanie Bonilla, 18, said it was her younger brother, Yonis Rodriguez, who was hit. He was medflighted to Boston Children's Hospital in critical but stable condition.
"And I see them giving him CPR and I didn't know it was him until I see them lifting him up on the stretcher," said Bonilla. She said her brother way on his way home from an after school program. "He has a brain injury and he has internal bleeding in his brain."
Prosecutors said Zembower has a very long driving history, including DUIs in 2022 and 1999 along with several traffic violations. When police approached her pickup on Thursday, they said she smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes.
"Within her vehicle during inventory, an empty nip was found for a total of five nip bottles," said Hintlian.
Zembower's defense attorney said his client was not drinking and the bus stop lights were not flashing.
"She didn't see the child when it ran out, she feels awful about this whole incident," said Christopher Deorocki.
Bonilla said her younger brother is playful, kind and loves to laugh.
"What makes him so special I guess is he has a big heart, he cares a lot," said Bonilla.