A Carmi man is facing charges after a student fan bus headed home from a super-sectional volleyball match ended up approximately 66 miles off course late Monday night.
Authorities in Bond County confirm that 70-year-old Stephan Heath of Carmi was arrested after the bus he was driving traveled in the wrong direction for an extended period of time while carrying roughly 40 Carmi-White County students. The group had been returning home after attending the volleyball team’s super-sectional game in Shelbyville.
Parents began raising concerns on social media Monday night when the bus failed to arrive back in Carmi on schedule. Several families reported noticing the bus veering southwest on family location-tracking apps.
Heath has been preliminarily charged with Driving Under the Influence and Illegal Stopping/Standing/Parking. Authorities say chemical test results, which could take several weeks, are still pending.
Students were finally brought back to White County around 2 a.m. Tuesday, after district administrators traveled to Bond County to pick them up.
Carmi-White County Unit 5 Superintendent Jarrod Newell issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying:
“Carmi-White County CUSD #5 takes great care in all matters involving our students, staff, and community with care and diligence. The district is aware of an incident with the student fan bus following the Volleyball Super-Sectional Game on Monday evening and are investigating the matter. Any concerns involving personnel, students, and school safety matters are taken seriously, ensuring fairness and accuracy, and addressed appropriately. We always appreciate everyone’s patience, understanding, and respect to ensure a process of care, diligence, accuracy, and fairness that allows for all matters to be appropriately addressed.”
Heath is scheduled to appear in Bond County Court in Greenville on December 29th.
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