LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — A Catawba County school bus driver was charged with DWI after he was found to have a blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit, state troopers allege.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol received a careless and reckless driving complaint involving a school bus on Catawba Burris Road in Lincoln County a little before 4:30 p.m. When troopers got to the area, they arrested 54-year-old Nelson Gonzalez, of Sherrills Ford. Nelson was charged with driving while impaired, commercial vehicle DWI, careless and reckless driving, as well as misdemeanor child abuse. His arrest came after a field sobriety test was administered by state troopers.
Catawba County Schools announced that Gonzalez was hired by the district on Nov. 23 as a 10-month custodian and bus driver. He is currently suspended without pay, pending the outcome of the district's investigation.
The bus was being operated from Sherrills Ford Elementary School, troopers said. No students were on the bus at the time of the arrest, according to Highway Patrol. Gonzalez's blood alcohol content was .23, nearly three times the legal limit of .08, troopers allege, citing a breathalyzer test administered to Gonzalez.
"We understand the concern and distress this news may cause among parents, students and the wider community," the district said in a statement. "We assure you that we are taking every possible step to maintain a secure environment for our students."
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