Cottage Grove school bus drivers because of DUI in February incident – Twin Cities charged

A school bus driver was charged with the influence after driving after the authorities were to show up at the High School Park from Cottage Grove last winter, which were chopped three times as high as the legal limit for driving a private vehicle. However, Minnesota's standard for school bus drivers is zero.

Joshua Nathaniel Lueth, 36, from Hastings, had his first court appearance last week. In March he was charged in his official duties under the influence and number of second degree under the influence and number of driving second degree under the influence with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.08 and a number of deliberately disabled, resistant or disturbing peace officers.

The criminal complaint before the Washington district court contains the following details on the incident of February 26:

Shortly after 3 p.m., the Cottage Grove police received a report on a possible drunk driver in front of the school. The caller, a school worker, said she was trying to prevent the school bus driver from leaving the property.

When the police arrived at school, an official Lueth asked if he drove the bus to school. Lueth replied to the officer that he “has a job” and left him alone because he “has the last half of his route to complete”.

The official found that two students were on board the bus at the age of 15 and 16. The 15-year-old uses a wheelchair, it says in the complaint. The school staff said that Leuth used to have problems using the elevator that helped the student to use the wheelchair on the bus and leaned on the elevator to maintain his balance.

The officials saw that Lueth spoke slowly and his words hurled that his eyes were red and glassy and that he had difficulty maintaining his balance. Lueth said he had not consumed any prescribed medication or controlled substances or alcohol.

Lueth was taken into custody. His blood alcohol concentration from a blood sample was 0.289.

The video received by the investigators showed that Lueth crossed the middle track several times while driving to the high school. When he arrived at school, he drove into a non -bus lane and had to make a turnaround against the flow of traffic.

Shortly after he arrived at school, an employee took the bus key away from him. The vehicle was in possession and was operated by Hastings Big River Bus Co.

Lueth's driving balance showed that he was charged with an incident on December 14, 2024 in Pepin County for drunk driving in Wisconsin. This case is still pending.

He will be expected again on June 5th.