LITTLE ROCK — Deciding to drink before picking up students at a Central High School debate and forensics tournament was the Cabot School District bus driver's first mistake.
Friday evening went downhill from there for Robin G. Clark.
After her erratic behavior led to a field sobriety test and an arrest on a driving while intoxicated charge, Clark threatened to have the Little Rock Police officers who took her into custody fired and vowed to sue the Little Rock School District.
Later, while being booked at the Pulaski County jail, the 46-year-old tried to rip up the printed results of her blood alcohol test.
In all, her behavior netted her four charges: DWI, endangering the welfare of children, harassment and tampering with evidence.
"She said she can drive that bus today better than I can my police car," wrote the arresting officer in his report.
The incident came to the attention of Teresa Belew, executive director of the state chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, who alerted the media Monday.
"I can't imagine that there was a parent anywhere ... would be comfortable with having their children on the bus," said Belew.
Cabot School District Superintendent W. Tony Thurman released a statement Monday that said Clark has been suspended pending a school board investigation.
The 150 Cabot students were dropped off at Central about 1 p.m., and the bus drivers returned to drive their afternoon routes.
The buses then traveled back to Little Rock, arriving around 9:30 p.m., Thurman wrote.
The police report said officers received numerous complaints about Clark, including her leaving the bus in reverse and then exiting the vehicle.
The report also stated that Clark was observed "in [the] bus seatedwhile kids were on it."
Other drivers and parent sponsors noticed that Clark was behaving in an erratic manner before the students got back on the bus.
They notified police once she left the bus to go to the bathroom.
The bus remained parked the whole time when the students were on it before Clark was arrested about 10:30 p.m., the statement said.
After performing field sobriety tests, the arresting officers took Clark to jail where her blood-alcohol test yieldeda .07, under the legal limit for most drivers, but over the .04 cutoff for a person who holds a commercial driver's license.
Cabot hired Clark in August.
Her criminal background check had not been returned as of Monday, according to Thurman's statement.
Clark, who lives in Cabot, was jailed with a $3,200 bond. She was released Saturday, said John Rehrauer, spokesman for the Pulaski County sheriff's office.
Clark is scheduled for a Dec. 14 trial before Judge Vic Fleming in Little Rock Traffic Court.
Arkansas, Pages 7, 14 on 10/30/2007