Red Deer woman charged with impaired driving after school bus with 18 kids on board hits tree

A 42-year-old woman is facing impaired and dangerous driving charges after the school bus she was driving hit a tree and traffic sign Monday afternoon.

RCMP responded just before 4 p.m. after a witness saw the crash in the Vanier Woods neighbourhood and called 911. Red Deer Emergency Services and fire staff also attended the scene.

EMS personnel assessed the driver and the children who were on the bus and found no one had been injured.

The kids were between the ages of five and 12.

Red Deer RCMP started an impaired driving investigation at the scene, which led to four criminal charges against the school bus driver.

Shelly Joy Kolodychuk of Red Deer has been charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle, operate a motor vehicle over 80 milligrams, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and failing to remain at the scene of a collision.

Kolodychuk is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on July 12.

READ MORE: RCMP investigate after school bus crashes in Red Deer with students on board 

“My son was on that bus before it happened,” one mother said. “I just can’t talk about it. It’s too upsetting.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "My son was on that bus before it happened," one mother said. "I just can't talk about it. It's too upsetting."

“I arrived on the scene just shortly after the emergency services did,” Kathryn Kaiser said. “They kept the kids on the bus but once my daughter got off she said the bus driver had been acting funny… and that she had hit a tree and she hit a sign and she didn’t stop and that they were obviously really scared and they wanted off the bus.”

“I’m mad and I’m upset,” Kaiser added. “My daughter was on the bus and it could have been far worse. But I am concerned about how they’re picking their bus drivers.”

A spokesperson for Red Deer Public Schools said Prairie Bus Lines is contracted to transport students to the district.

“But we also have expectations and that’s part of our agreement with them,” Bruce Buruma said. “I know that they’re very much following up in regards to procedures that they do.

“We are shocked, we are suffering, we are angry about this as we expect our parents are as well,” Buruma said. “We place a great degree of trust in the adults that meet the needs of our kids, those include our bus drivers. They’re an important part of our team and quite frankly, when we heard this, it was with shock and incredible disappointment.

“We believe it’s an isolated incident.”

On Monday evening, Red Deer Public Schools (RDPS) issued a statement on its website saying the RCMP took the driver into custody as they investigated whether or not alcohol was a factor in the crash.

“We are deeply concerned and shocked by this incident,” RDPS Supt. Stu Henry wrote in the statement. “Adults who serve our students carry a significant responsibility for their safety and care.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We are deeply concerned and shocked by this incident," RDPS Supt. Stu Henry wrote in the statement. "Adults who serve our students carry a significant responsibility for their safety and care."

The RDPS said the students on the bus attend École Barrie Wilson School. The board said the driver involved “is also a regular driver for students from Mattie McCullough Elementary.”

According to the RDPS, Prairie Bus Lines dispatched a different bus after the crash to take the students home.

“Red Deer Public Schools and Prairie Bus Lines personnel are cooperating fully with the investigation,” the school board said.

Prairie Bus Lines released a statement Tuesday:

“As a result of the investigation and subsequent charges against the driver by the RCMP, we have taken the appropriate action to ensure our Safely Home commitment is upheld.

“Prairie Bus Lines has a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy in place. This includes a process for testing when there is reasonable suspicion that an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“In this case, there were no visible signs of impairment prior to the driver’s afternoon departure.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "In this case, there were no visible signs of impairment prior to the driver's afternoon departure.

“Student safety is paramount to our organization. We are grateful nobody was injured and that a rescue driver was able to take the children home safely in a timely manner.”

— With files from Phil Heidenreich