Crime & Safety

School Bus Driver Charged With DUI Didn't Have Permission To Take Out Bus

School bus company was in process of hiring and training him.

The school bus driver who was charged with DUI on Nov. 3 never had any children or passengers on his bus, an owner of A & B Bus Company said Thursday.

Niles police charged the driver, Peter Stratigakis, 54, with DUI after he parked his bus near the Skokie-Niles border on Touhy Avenue, approached a officer at about 3:20 p.m. and asked directions to Madison and Edison Schools and in Skokie District 69.

The Niles officer noticed the odor of alcohol on Stratigakis' breath, and Stratigakis admitted drinking beer. He also showed impairment on field sobriety tests.

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"Thankfully, he never came close to kids in his state," said Dr. Quintin Shepherd, superintendent of District 69. "But it's certainly a good reminder to all of us of the need to be vigilant."

Earlier:

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Company didn't OK driver to take bus by himself

The police and the bus company did show vigilance.

"We take this extremely seriously," said Tom Simmons, an owner of A & B Bus Company of Franklin Park, which serves District 69 out of its Skokie satellite location on St. Louis Avenue.

The company had not authorized Stratigakis to take the bus out of the bus yard by himself, added Simmons, whose company terminated Stratigakis' employment.

That employment didn't last long. Stratigakis applied on Monday, Oct. 31 for the position, which was vacant because a longtime driver had passed away two weeks earlier, Simmons said. An experienced driver with the company was filling in.

Driver presented valid credentials

Stratigakis presented a valid commercial driver's license and school bus permit, and had worked recently for another school bus company, Simmons said. A&B was performing a criminal background check and required him to take a physical exam, which included a drug and alcohol test. While it was waiting for the results to come back, an experienced driver with the company took Stratigakis out on a bus on Nov. 2 and 3 to show him the routes.

But on the afternoon of Nov. 3, Stratigakis took the bus out by himself, which he was not authorized to do, Simmons said.

"He radioed us and that's the point when we knew something was not right," Simmons said.

Although the police report said Stratigakis fumbled with the radio and that it was not operable, Simmons said it was operable and they were able to hear Stratigakis.

Stratigakis, of Harwood Heights, has a court date Dec. 21 in the Skokie branch of Cook County court.

A & B Bus Company also serves District 73 1/2, Elmwood Park schools, Penoyer District 79 and transports student athletes in Maine Township High School District 207 to games. Coincidentally, Simmons serves as a school board member in East Maine Elementary School District 63.

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