Drunk Driver could be sent to prison if convicted

Shortly after school got out April 18, 2014, a Cheboygan Area Schools bus returning students to their hometown of Wolverine, MI was struck by a Chrysler PT Cruiser.  Apparently, the vehicle crossed the centerline while going around a curve.  It struck the left side of the bus near the rear tire. According to witnesses, the driver got out of her vehicle and walked away.

Investigators were quickly able to track down the driver, a 54 year old resident of Wolverine named Susan A. Bannister.  She was arrested and charged with drunk driving and driving without a license.  According to the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Department, Bannister has been convicted of drunk driving on four previous occasions, in both Michigan and Virginia.

Bannister was arraigned in Cheboygan County’s 89th District Court on a felony charge of operating while intoxicated, for which she is a repeat offender.  If convicted, this charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.  She was also charged with two misdemeanors, namely: operating a vehicle while her license was suspended and failure to report an accident.  Her bond was set at $50,000 and the preliminary examination is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, April 30th.

Authorities say that the accident caused substantial damage to Bannister’s PT Cruiser.  It caused only minimal damage to the school bus. None of the twelve students on the bus were hurt.  The Wolverine Fire Department, Wolverine First Responders and Cheboygan Life Support Systems helped the Cheboygan sheriff’s department transport the students from the damaged bus to another vehicle for safe transport home.

Drinking and driving is never a good idea, but it happens.  If you find yourself caught up in the legal system, an experienced drunk driver defense attorney is a must!  You have rights too.