Northern Minnesota school bus driver faces charges of drunken driving with students on board

A St. Louis County school bus driver arrested last week with 18 students along on his morning route is facing two misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated.

Anthony Stephen Israelson, 44, was charged Monday in St. Louis County District Court with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. An additional infraction was added because he was operating a school bus. His first court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 21.

According to the criminal complaint, a bystander saw Israelson seemingly intoxicated at a Brookston, Minn., bar the night before he would be driving students to South Ridge, a northern Minnesota school for students in kindergarten through high school. The bystander called 911 with concerns that Israelson wouldn’t be sober in time to drive. A St. Louis County deputy and investigator stopped by Israelson’s home the next morning to check on him. He told them he was off work that day.

Soon after, law enforcement officials checked in with the bus company, which said Israelson had started his shift and was on his route. A deputy found the bus, followed it, and saw it cross the yellow lines as it headed down Seville Road, off Hwy. 33. He pulled the driver over.

Israelson, of Culver, Minn., smelled of alcohol and had a fresh cut over his eye, according to the deputy. A preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.161%. He later admitted to having an unknown number of beers before he went to the bar the previous night. The students were transported to school by district staff and no one was injured.