John Jefferson
Kayla I. Pier (La Porte County Sheriff’s Office).
A 38-year-old school bus driver in Indiana is accused of being drunk behind the wheel while dozens of young students were on board, several of whom immediately reported her “concerning behavior,” resulting in the vehicle being intercepted and the driver being arrested.
Kayla I. Pier was taken into custody on Friday and charged with one count of felony operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and one count of felony neglect of a dependent, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, Pier was employed as a school bus driver for the La Porte Community School Corporation on the afternoon of Sept. 20, 2024, when she was tasked with transporting 32 students from La Porte Middle School to Riley Elementary School.
The students onboard the bus quickly realized something was amiss, authorities say.
“During the route, reports began to surface from the students aboard the bus regarding the driving behaviors and mannerisms of Pier,” the release states. “The Transportation Director for the School Corporation immediately responded to Riley Elementary School and intercepted the bus being operated by Pier. Pier was removed from the bus and school administrators continued to investigate. Later that same day, Pier resigned from the corporation.”
The school superintendent on Oct. 21, 2024, contacted the sheriff’s office and informed the public information officer about the incident. The superintendent explained to the sheriff’s office that the school “had just received a toxicology report from a test Pier submitted to” after the incident showing she was intoxicated.
It was not immediately clear why the school waited more than a month to contact authorities or why they performed their own toxicology test. The school did not immediately respond to a message from Law&Crime seeking additional details.
After being contacted by the school, deputies opened an investigation into the matter which included obtaining surveillance video footage from the bus, gathering witness statements, and combing through any cellphone videos from the students on board.
An arrest warrant was issued for Pier on Dec. 20, and she self-surrendered to authorities on Dec. 27. Pier was booked into the La Porte County Jail and released later that day after posting bond.
“The courageous students aboard the bus who reported the behaviors of the accused are publicly commended. Their attention to detail and prompt actions may have prevented a tragedy from occurring,” Administrative Captain Derek J. Allen said in a statement. “Thank you to the school corporation administrators for their assistance and cooperation throughout the investigation. Our partnership is committed to student safety, both on and off of every campus.”
The school corporation released a statement that also lauded the students on the bus for demonstrating “exceptional judgment and courage” by reporting the “concerning behavior from their driver.”
“Their quick thinking and willingness to speak up enabled us to take immediate action to ensure student safety,” the statement said, in part. “We are incredibly proud of our students, who recognized something was wrong and reported their concerns responsibly. Their actions exemplify the ‘see something, say something’ principles we teach in our schools. These students potentially prevented a serious incident through their alertness and responsible decision-making.”
The statement also said that the district was “committed to full transparency” while simultaneously “respecting the ongoing legal process and the privacy of all involved parties.”
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