A bus driver for Catoosa County Schools was arrested Wednesday morning after hitting a pole with her bus while turning around at a gas station near the fire hall in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
The driver, Tonya Knight, was questioned by law enforcement after the accident and was then arrested on suspicion of being impaired. Catoosa County Schools spokeswoman Marissa Brower said in a news release that Knight was fired following the arrest.
There was one student on the bus at the time of the accident. There were no injuries. Someone at Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe High School picked up the student and returned to school safely.
Catoosa County Schools Superintendent Denia Reese said in a statement she would not tolerate any bus driver on duty who was allegedly impaired.
"We do not have the details of the investigation from the Georgia State Patrol," Reese said. "However, since the bus driver has been arrested under suspicion of impairment, I have terminated her immediately."
Knight had been employed with the school system since September of 2019. She passed her initial drug and alcohol screening, and she has passed all random drug and alcohol screenings since. She has no previous incidents in her personnel file.
Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.