Crime & Safety

School Bus Driver Charged With DUI After Crash

Melissa Forrest was charged with driving under the influence and following too close after an accident on Main Street in town Tuesday.

A 36-year old Andover woman was charged with driving under the influence and following too close after an accident on Main Street in town Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, according to the Hartford Courant

The catch? 

The woman, Melissa Forrest, was driving a school bus with five students on it at the time when she rear-ended a wheelchair van at the intersection of Main and Forrest streets near Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy. No injuries were reported. The five students were all from Bolton, and attended Rockville High School's vocational agriculture program and Howell Cheney Technical High School. 

Police said they do not believe that Forrest was drinking, but that she might have been under the influence of medication at the time, according to the Courant. Police said that Forrest took a urine test, but that the results will take several weeks. 

Police said the bus was initially reported driving erratically on West Middle Turnpike. 

Forrest was released on a $5,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Manchester Superior Court on the charges on Sept. 30, 2013. 


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