TRUCKEE, Calif. – Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) has provided an update regarding an incident on a bus returning from an extracurricular event on Saturday, May 10. TTUSD Bus driver Justin Loughner was arrested for an alleged DUI after being pulled over on Interstate 80 eastbound near Overland Trail. The story was originally reported on by Truckee High School’s newspaper The Truckee Times’ Managing Editor Lola Hadley.

In a statement to the Sierra Sun, TTUSD said:

We regret to report that the bus driver was driving unsafely, which resulted in a stop by the California Highway Patrol. We commend the TTUSD staff on the bus for their swift action in contacting both the Nevada and California Highway Patrol as soon as they suspected an issue. The driver was subsequently taken into custody for an alleged DUI.

Upon receiving notification of this incident, TTUSD immediately dispatched our Assistant Superintendent Chief Business Officer, transportation fleet supervisor, and another licensed bus driver to the location. The new driver safely transported all students back to Truckee High School.

We are incredibly relieved that no one was physically harmed and understand that witnessing such an event was upsetting for our students and their families. Support services have been offered to those involved through our wellness centers.

We’d like to take this opportunity to assure you of the rigorous safety measures TTUSD has in place for all employees. All TTUSD employees undergo Department of Justice fingerprint clearance, including criminal history checks. Additionally, our transportation team undergoes an even more stringent process, including drug and alcohol policy training and mandated random drug and alcohol screenings, and the dispatch staff completes Reasonable Suspicion Training.

This appears to be an isolated incident and is not representative of the care and commitment to safety our transportation department and drivers demonstrate every day. We sincerely hope this deeply concerning incident does not overshadow the hard work and dedication our bus drivers consistently demonstrate in keeping TTUSD students safe.

Please understand that due to this being an active investigation and per state law regarding the confidentiality of personnel matters, we cannot provide further details. We have extended our full cooperation to the authorities.

“I would like to reiterate that this appears to be an isolated incident and is not representative of the care and commitment to safety our transportation department and drivers demonstrate daily. We hope this deeply concerning incident does not overshadow the hard work and dedication our bus drivers consistently demonstrate in keeping TTUSD students safe,” Amber Burke, Coordinator of District Communications & Parent Engagement. 

Loughner’s bail was set at $45,000.