By Kirsten Buys FARMINGTON HILLS — Farmington Public Schools bus driver Kelly Jasinski pleaded guilty in 47th District Court June 25 to drunken driving charges. Judge Thomas Brookover said Jasinski, 42, could face up to 90 days in jail and $500 in fines, plus court costs, for one count of first-degree operating while intoxicated for driving a school bus with a blood-alcohol concentration nearly four times the legal limit. Before accepting Jasinski’s plea, Brookover asked the Farmington Hills resident what she had been drinking before her arrest the night of May 16. “It was vodka. I’m not sure how much,” Jasinski said. “ I had a fifth of vodka and I drank a portion of it before I got pulled over. I was intoxicated. I was, I guess, driving erratically.” Jasinski reportedly dropped students off at a Walled Lake school for an athletic event hours before an off-duty Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy saw her leave the school just after 7 p.m. As she drove through Farmington Hills, several other drivers called police to report her swerving in and out of lanes, and Farmington Hills police pulled the bus over at Grand River Avenue and Orchard Lake Road at 7:45 p.m., according to police reports. Jasinski, a bus driver with the district since 2001, had slurred speech, was unsteady and her breath smelled of alcohol, according to police reports. When police asked her what time it was, she stated 6 p.m. and when they asked where they were, she said at Grand River Avenue and Farmington Road. Officers found a bottle of vodka approximately one-third full in the bus. On the scene police administered a preliminary breath test, which showed Jasinski to have a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.305 – nearly four times Michigan’s 0.08 legal limit. A blood test sent to the state crime lab for analysis showed a BAC of 0.29, attorney Jason Dandy, filling in for Jasinski’s defense attorney, Alyson Oliver, told the judge. Jasinski’s employment with Farmington Public Schools was terminated May 19. According to court papers, Jasinski has been undergoing rehabilitation services. She remains free on bond until her sentencing at 8:30 a.m. July 3 in 47th District Court. You can reach Staff Writer Kirsten Buys at kbuys@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1030. |
