School bus driver arrested for drunk driving in Pembroke with 28 students onboard

PEMBROKE - A school bus driver is accused of driving drunk with dozens of students on board in Pembroke Thursday afternoon.

The bus picked up 28 teens and two adult supervisors from the Hingham United Basketball Special Olympics closing ceremony at Plymouth High School. It was supposed to go back to Hingham High School. 

According to Massachusetts State Police, a passenger on the bus called 911 to report that the driver was swerving, tried to get on Route 3 in the wrong direction, and ran a red light. 

The bull was pulled over in the parking lot of the Friendly's restaurant on Route 139 in Pembroke.

Troopers arrested the driver, 53-year-old Bethann Sweeney of Hanover, and charged her with operating under the influence of liquor, child endangerment while operating under the influence, negligent operation, reckless endangerment of a child, and having an open container of alcohol.

Police said Sweeney was asked to perform several field sobriety tests and troopers determined she was under the influence. She refused a breathalyzer which automatically suspended her license. 

Another bus driver brought the student-athletes safely home, Hingham Public Schools said.

Sweeney was held at the State Police Norwell Barracks overnight on $2,540 cash bail. She'll be arraigned in Plymouth District Court on Friday.