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Shelton School Bus Driver Fell Asleep Once Before, Says Warrant

SHELTON, Conn. -- An arrest warrant reportedly reveals the Shelton school bus driver who allegedly fell asleep while driving kids on his bus had fallen asleep once before, according to the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Paul Pixley

Paul Pixley

Photo Credit: Shelton Police Department

The driver, Paul Pixley, 55, of Derby is reportedly seen on Dec. 7 surveillance footage falling asleep, causing the bus to roll backward and hit a vehicle behind it, said the Valley Independent Sentinel, citing the warrant.

Pixley was later charged with 30 counts of risk of injury to a minor, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree reckless endangerment, and reckless driving, following an incident that occurred on Friday, Dec. 16.

At around 3:40 p.m. on Dec. 16, Shelton police received a call that a bus driver was falling asleep while driving and swerving all over the road. Police said that they were able to pull the bus over on Nichols Avenue by Earl Street. There were no children on the bus when it was pulled over, police said.

An officer spoke with Pixley, and an assistant manager of Landmark Transportation, the district's main transportation provider, arrived on the scene and drove the bus away.

Following the incident the Superintendent Clouet sent a letter to parents and the rest of the community, informing them of what had happened and assuring them that Pixley would no longer be driving students in Shelton.

The bus driver said he had taken 80 milligrams of methadone, an opioid used as a maintenance therapy for people with drug dependence, and may also have accidentally taken Nyquil instead of Dayquil because he felt sick that day, the Connecticut Post said. 

Click here for the Connecticut Post story. 

Click here for the Valley Independent Sentinel story.

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