Bus Driver, Supervisor Fired Over DUI Incident

Betty Burden blew a .225 BAC after being arrested last week, police say

A Northwest suburban school district voted Thursday to fire a driver accused of driving a bus full of children home from school last week.

Betty Burden of Mount Prospect had been on unpaid leave since her arrest last week, when two co-workers reported smelling alcohol on her breath.

No alcohol was found on the bus, but the arresting officer said Burden admitted to drinking.  She registered a .225 blood alcohol concentration during testing at the police station, which is nearly three times over the legal limit.

Parents had expressed outrage because Burden was not confronted before she drove the students home.  No one came to Burden's defense Thursday night, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The school board also fired her boss, the district's transportation coordinator.  

Vince Ramirez had been suspended since Tuesday after it came to light that concerns that Burden had been drinking were brought to him on two consecutive days.

He said he is considering legal action against the district.

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