Montco School Bus Driver Who Was DUI Will Appear In Court Next Month: Authorities

NORRISTOWN, PA — A school bus driver who was heavily intoxicated while driving 54 children in Montgomery County will appear in court again next month, according to court documents.

Kelly Weber, 46, of Boyertown, faces 221 charges altogether, including numerous counts of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

Her pre-trial conference is scheduled for Aug. 14. The meeting between the judge, attorneys, and prosecutors will determine whether a plea deal will be reached or whether the case will proceed directly to trial.

Weber had checked herself into a rehabilitation facility immediately following the February incident. Arrangements were made at the time to have Weber brought into custody following treatment. She was arraigned on June 3, and then released after posting $50,000 bail.

The conditions of her bail laid out by Magisterial District Judge Maurice Sayler include no driving, no unsupervised contact with children, and continuing to comply with recommended treatment.

The incident occurred back on Feb. 6 at around 4 p.m. in Douglass Township.

A security video from inside the bus shows Weber appearing to drink from a vodka bottle, repeatedly crossing the double yellow line, and driving directly into oncoming traffic, according to the criminal complaint. Children texted their parents to express fear and said that she was falling asleep at the wheel, police said.

Labs would later show that she had a blood alcohol concentration of .331, the DA said, almost four times the legal limit in Pennsylvania for a regular driver but some 16 times the legal limit for a school bus driver.

New PA Law Proposed After Drunk School Bus Driver Incident In Montco: Authorities

The incident spurred new legislation to be introduced in the Pennsylvania State Senate. Proposed by Montgomery County's State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, the bill would significantly increase penalties for drunk or drugged bus drivers.