CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — A YMCA bus driver was arrested after allegedly driving drunk while transporting students, according to court documents.
Todd Niedfeldt faces nine counts of felony child endangerment charges in addition to a DUI charge.
Court documents show Niedfeldt's breathalyzer test registered nearly three and a half times over the legal limit when police administered the test at an elementary school where he was picking up students.
A Chesterfield County Public Schools bus driver alerted administrators at Hening Elementary that Niedfeldt was allegedly showing signs of intoxication, according to court documents.
School staff prevented students from boarding Niedfeldt's bus while they waited for police to arrive.
Chesterfield Police reported that Niedfeldt smelled of alcohol when they interviewed him on the bus.
"I didn't have any drinks today but had some last night," Niedfeldt told officers, according to police documents.
Police said Niedfeldt struggled with field sobriety tests they administered.
The breathalyzer showed a .275 blood alcohol level, which is nearly 3.5 times the legal limit.
According to the affidavit, Niedfeldt had already transported a total of 40 students from three Chesterfield schools earlier that day.
The YMCA sent a letter to parents stating Niedfeldt was "immediately terminated" and that they are conducting their own internal investigation.
"We do screenings, training and national background checks prior to employment, and conduct annual background checks and drug screenings," the YMCA stated.
School board documents show Niedfeldt had previously worked as a bus driver for Chesterfield Schools.
Chesterfield Schools told CBS 6 Niedfeldt worked as a bus driver from 2019 - 2023.
A judge released Niedfeldt on bond under pretrial supervision. He is not allowed to drive, drink or do drugs and must pay monetary fees.
Niedfeldt is scheduled to return to court at the end of May.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
