For parents who are unable to get their kids back and forth to school every day, having a reliable mode of transportation is necessary. For many kids, that mode of transportation is a school bus. Parents rely on school bus drivers to make sure their kids are safe. If they’re not doing their jobs properly, it can put a lot of children in danger. William John Peterson, a school bus driver in Minnesota, is now facing child endangerment charges after allegedly choosing to ignore that responsibility and drive while intoxicated.
According to a criminal complaint, a school resource officer from Maple Lake Public Schools received a report saying that a student believed their bus driver smelled like alcohol on November 20, 2025, Fox 9 reported. The resource officer got in touch with school officials who then reached out to M&M Bus Service, which dispatched a new driver to the scene.
A deputy from the Wright County Sheriff’s Office met 55-year-old Peterson at the bus company’s garage. The deputy noted that the man’s eyes were watery, and the deputy could smell alcohol on his breath. Peterson allegedly denied having alcohol but said he had taken NyQuil earlier that day.
He allegedly “performed poorly” on a field sobriety test, documents revealed, according to WCCO. Peterson’s blood alcohol level was .082, which is over the standard legal limit for drivers. Minnesota has a zero-tolerance policy for school bus drivers drinking and driving.
Charging documents noted that multiple students under the age of 16 were on the bus but did not provide an exact number of students riding on the bus.
Peterson made his first court appearance on November 21. He was charged with one count of child endangerment and three DWI-related charges.
Maple Lake Superintendent Mike Rowe sent a letter to families about the incident. “As soon as we were notified, steps were taken to ensure students were cared for and transported safely,” Rowe assured in a statement obtained by Fox 9.
“All students are safe, and M&M Bus Service has informed the district that the driver has been removed from duty effective immediately and a police investigation is taking place and no other information is available at this time,” the statement added. “We want to assure you that student safety is our highest priority.”
