The Boyertown Area School District bus driver arrested last month faces a new set of charges. On Monday, Douglass Township police filed eight misdemeanor DUI counts, along with 54 counts of endangering the welfare of children, 54 counts of reckless endangerment and multiple related summary offenses from a Feb. 6 incident.

            Local authorities issued an arrest warrant for Kelly Lynn Weber, 46, of Boyertown Borough, after discovering levels of alcohol and marijuana in her system, according to a news release from the Montgomery County District Attorney. It states that Weber had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.331, more than four-times the legal limit, and a Delta-9 Carboxy THC level of 6.6.

            Weber checked herself into a rehab facility immediately following the incident. Police are arranging a time for her turn-in and arrest at the DA's office in Norristown, according to law enforcement officials. Douglass Township police filed the new set of charges in the court of District Judge Maurice Saylor.

            "More than 50 young children were in a dangerous situation created by this defendant, who chose to consume a significant amount of alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a school bus and drive miles while intoxicated," Steele said, according to the prepared statement.

            "We are all thankful that this defendant didn't crash the bus and cause further harm to these children."

            Through school and bus company records, the investigation found that 54 children rode the bus driven by Weber that day, five of whom were under six years old, according to the information delivered on Tuesday afternoon. The investigation also found that multiple children called or texted their parents during the school bus ride, noting their fear about Weber's erratic driving.

            One even exited the bus at an earlier bus stop in order to escape the situation. He was picked up by his parents, according to the release.

            Local authorities filed the initial set of charges against Weber last month.

            At 4:11 p.m. on Feb. 6, an officer responded to reports of a school bus being driven recklessly in the area of Jackson Road and Third Avenue. Callers reported the bus, from Quigley Bus Service, nearly struck multiple vehicles and a utility pole while transporting children between the ages of six and 11, according to information provided by Chief Robert Evans

            A responding officer claims to have discovered the bus, which had reportedly almost hit multiple vehicles and nearly struck a telephone pole with children on board, pulled over in a snowbank in the area of Second Avenue and Gilbert Road. He pulled in front of the vehicle – that had departed Boyertown Elementary with 54 students, including five under the age of six – and immediately made contact with the driver.

            According to the affidavit of probable cause, it was immediately apparent that Weber, who allegedly failed three subsequent field sobriety tests, might have been under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances due to pinpoint pupils and glassy eyes, along with confusion and erratic behavior. The driver told the officer that she takes Prozac.

            Multiple parents provided text message conversations between themselves and their children who were on the bus, stating that the bus driver kept closing her eyes and driving very slowly.

            The parent of another student sent an email to the police providing screenshots of text messages and statements made between her and her child about the bus driver falling asleep behind the wheel and indicating how scared the child was.

            According to law enforcement officials, 26 children were transferred to a different bus.

            Weber underwent a blood draw at the Lehigh Valley Hospital in the township at 5:09 p.m. Police requested video evidence from the Fine Wine and Good Spirits, located at 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, and the school bus surveillance, according to the legal document.

            Police claim to have discovered a receipt from the store for the purchase of three bottles of vodka, at a total cost of $26.97, earlier in the day. In Weber's purse, officers claim to have discovered two bottles – one of which was empty – inside two bags. An additional empty bottle was allegedly located in her left jacket pocket.