School Bus Driver On Pizza Run Gets DUI In Massachusetts: Police

TYNGSBOROUGH, MA — A Tyngsborough school bus driver was arrested after she got drunk and made a pizza run instead of picking up her students, police said Friday. Debra Cloutier, 57, of Tyngsborough, was charged with drunken driving and not having a license in her possession. No students were aboard her bus at the time, police said.

Cloutier was found intoxicated and eating food while parked "haphazardly" in the parking lot of a Middlesex Road pizza shop Monday afternoon, according to Tyngsborough police Chief Richard Howe.

A witness called police and told them Cloutier appeared drunk.

"Upon arrival, officers found the full-size yellow school bus, with the driver sitting inside eating food," Howe said in a statement.

Cloutier works for Christianson Bus Company of Chelmsford and had been driving for two private schools in Tyngsborough. Howe said the day she was arrested, she failed to make her 3:25 p.m. stop at the Innovation Academy. She was arrested at about 3:45 p.m. at the pizza shop.

"The investigation indicates that it does not appear at this time that any school children were transported Monday by CLOUTIER while she was allegedly under the influence," Howe said.

Cloutier was arraigned Tuesday in Lowell District Court.

Photo: Debra Cloutier's mugshot following her arrest on a drunk-driving charge in Tyngsborough February 5, 2018. (Credit: Tyngsborough Police Department)