Yesterday morning at 7:16 a.m. the Westborough police received a call from the local school bus company.
The company’s representative told police that one of its drivers, Jane Welch, appeared intoxicated that morning.
Despite her condition, Jane took a bus and began picking up students.
The company radioed Jane’s bus and directed her to pull over.
She did so, parking the vehicle at 135 East Main Street, Park Village Apartment Complex.
This is where police first encountered Jane as she sat in the bus’s driver seat with the key in the ignition.
According to the arresting officer, Jane had the common indicia of intoxication (e.g., slurred speech, glassy/bloodshot eyes, and alcohol on the breath.)
She had bruises under her eyes and, in the arresting officer’s words,
There was also makeup smeared all over Welch’s face as if she had difficulty in putting on her makeup this morning.
After making a few muddled statements to the officer, Jane got off the bus. She refused the breathalyzer but was nevertheless arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol.
Police searched Jane and found an aspirin bottle containing six different types of pills. A criminal records check also showed that Jane had an earlier OUI charge that was continued without a finding in January of 2000.
There were between 25-30 children on the bus at the time. DCF was notified.
Jane is charged with
- operating under the influence of alcohol 2nd offense,
- negligent operation of a motor vehicle;
- child endangerment; and
- 3 counts of possessing a class E drug.
At arraignment, a district court judge ordered Jane to remain drug and alcohol free during the pendency of her case and to have her sobriety monitored with a SCRAM devise.
Additionally, she must undergo a mental health and substance abuse evaluation and comply with any recommended treatment.
Her next court date (a pretrial hearing) is scheduled for April 11.