OUSD Bus Driver Arrested
CHP Press Release from Officer Steve Reid:
On September 30, 2009 at about 7:20 am, a traffic collision occurred involving a pickup truck and an Ojai Unified School District bus on Baldwin Rd. at Los Encinos Rd.
Kim Fullenwider, age 53 of Ojai, was driving a school bus as she was traveling westbound on Baldwin Rd approaching Los Encinos Rd. She was picking up students on her regular route. There were thirty-one students on the school bus from Meiners Oaks Elementary School, Nordhoff High School and Matillija Jr. High School.
Dimitrios Poulos, age 60 from Ojai, was driving a Ford pickup truck traveling eastbound on Baldwin Rd. approaching Los Encinos Rd. Fullenwider made a u-turn in the intersection of Baldwin Rd. at Los Encinos Rd. directly ahead of Poulos’ vehicle. Poulos applied his brakes but could not stop in time. The right front end of Poulos’ vehicle struck the right rear end of the school bus.
Poulos’ vehicle sustained major front end damage in the collision. The school bus sustained moderate right rear end damage. Another bus driver was dispatched to the collision scene and transported the students to their respective schools. No one was injured in the collision.
Fullenwider was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. She was arrested for driving under the influence and was booked into the Ventura County Jail. Fullenwider was also charged with child endangerment. Fullenwider has been a school bus driver for the Ojai Unified School District for 19 years. The collision is still under investigation.
Ok, I think that is the end to the arguement as to whether the OUSD should be in the transportation business. We need drug testing for all employees of the OUSD and we need it now, and for that matter let’s include testing of the OUSD board members.
anonymous
30 Sep 09 at 7:26 pm
now,
did they check the truck driver and see if he was okay/
You know, was he under the inflence??
CHP does do strange things after an accident/
eddie
30 Sep 09 at 8:02 pm
I can not believe this! Thank God no one was hurt but what an iresponsible person! Some one could have gotten hurt! Maybe someone need to attend AA
Anonymous
30 Sep 09 at 8:08 pm
we love you kim, I guess you can’t party the night before, we know you would never put your kids in danger. Their like your own and you do a damn good job. Fight it.
kids
30 Sep 09 at 8:13 pm
Got Crown?
Anonymous
30 Sep 09 at 10:28 pm
Kids..That’s not doing a damn good job when you show up to work all hung over from the night before, maybe Kim should have called in sick, that would have been the responsible thing to do. Your defense, blame it on the OUSD Board.
Anonymous
30 Sep 09 at 10:58 pm
Finally got her! I live in the area and have witnessed this bus driver driving crazy not the first time! I was making a right hand turn one day and she was making a left turn and she just pulled out and turned the bus right in front of me I was almost hit me and would have had I not been paying attention. I hope that those children were checked for injuries and they are alright! Kids…. sounds like you were probably with her the night before and if so you should have stopped the party and saved it for the weekend at home so you could get the alcohol of of your system like normal people do!
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 7:50 am
fight it? she was drunk. while driving children. end of story. no more job.
and, what does “got crown” mean??????
fight what?
1 Oct 09 at 8:03 am
There were some kids that suffered injuries and they are at the Drs. office today. There had to be some people that new this long time employee had a problem as she did have a previous infraction. The OUSD is looking at another major lawsuit when those injured kids come forward.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 8:05 am
I guess everyday is a party in the OUSD (Bangser $170,000 yr.) Let the good times roll!
lemon orchard
1 Oct 09 at 8:39 am
This was an accident waiting to happen and her fellow bus drivers knew of her problems? Answer, most likely yes and they said nothing. And now the union will help her fight it.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 8:45 am
What the heck? How can you stick up for this bus driver? Her JOB is get the kids to school unharmed. They could have ALL died. Just because it was a minor collision doesnt mean it couldnt have been more. What if she had driven over the bridge on the way to Encino? Would we be so gracious then? No! NO tolerance for DUI and especially not with OUR children in tow!! COME ON people!
ParentFirst
1 Oct 09 at 9:45 am
Absolutely no tolerance for someone stupid enough to Drive a School Bus Drunk. With our schools suffering enough budget cuts, we definately don’t need some idiot driving our kids to school drunk! For someone to claim that she loves these kids like her own is the most absurd thing I have heard. There is not a judge on earth that would let her off the hook for driving a school bus drunk, you say fight it. I say let her spend her own money trying to fight it not our school districts. Any parent that wants to sue, just make sure you sue her directly and not the OUSD.
Angry Parent
1 Oct 09 at 10:48 am
anonymous: Oct 1 @ 8:45 a.m.
Did you know of this problem? Did you do anything? How do you know for sure that her fellow drivers didn’t do anything? Don’t blame Kim’s co-workers for her actions.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 10:54 am
Unbelievable…this is just NOT OK in any way, anywhere, any time. I’m sure this driver is a very nice person, that’s not the point. I would hope that the bus driver and the district step up and take reponsibility for THEIR actions & their CHOICES. The victims here were the kids, the parents who put their trust in common sense and THE LAW, as well as the driver of the truck.
Butch
1 Oct 09 at 10:56 am
Lots of people knew about a previous DUI. Enough said.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 11:33 am
Every kid at the docs office has a parent that will sue the OUSD. The teachers union will dish out thousands and then this crasy bus driver will go off into the sunset with her pension in tact. As a union member, there cannot be lawsuits aimed directly to her alone so, angry parent, send that anger towards the almighty OUSD and the untouchable teachers union. those two entities are now far more worried about their wallets then your kids. Nothing new there!!
new yorker
1 Oct 09 at 11:36 am
I believe that the proper action for this situation is to be thankful that no children were truly “injured” in this collision. This is a woman who has been driving the children’s bus for twenty years without a single documentable safety issue. It is natural to respond to fear with anger and equally natural to throw stones (not of us immediate accept the natural consequence of “being human” ie making mistakes). I am not defending the choice this bus driver made to drive the bus that morning, not by any stretch of the imagination. I am however, asking those of us from a critical perspective to consider all of the facts surrounding the situation and consider ourselves as faulible human beings. The Ojai Unified School district is not the responsible party for this woman’s choice to consume legal alcoholic beverage in her personal time. That was her choice as an independent human being. What if a driver with a perfect driving record gets a DUI? Do we immediately burn the DMV at the stake for allowing the person to have a license? The arguement is entirely illogical in my opinion. The facts are in documentation. The facts are in the recordings. From my understanding, and having been driven by this woman in my childhood, there have been no reports filed indicating this recent morning was a repeating occurrance. Kim is a person. She is a person who made a horrific slip in judgement. I do understand the upset and the fear. Let us use this as a learning opportunity. Perhaps we should test drivers more often. I don’t know, but it is my experience that my worst choices have occurred in a milli-second decision. How will you regulate that?? How can we approach this scenerio with the spirit of change, progress, and opportunity? Let Kim face her choice. It was her choice, her business. Lets deal with our choices and make system changes to deal with the safety of our chidren, our business.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 12:10 pm
Anonymous you can go on all you want about personal responsiblity but lets face it, in this country, if you are union and do something stupid while working for said union, it is the union that deals with the lawsuit or whatever the situation requires.
new yorker
1 Oct 09 at 1:06 pm
My understanding is that Kim was pulled over last year and given sobriety tests during her morning bus route. My kids were on the bus at the time.
Kim was then pulled off of that route for weeks. She may not have been given a ticket, which accounts for lack of documentation, but surely it let the district know there was a problem. By not acting on the first tip, they put kids in danger again! There is a pattern in this school system to pretend that their hands are tied. I don’t buy it. It’s laziness and a lack of creative responsibility. Our children are paying the price for it.
christine
1 Oct 09 at 1:16 pm
These cases are rarely a “one time occurence”, but more likely a pattern of behavior. Does anyone think that she went on a bender on a Tuesday only to get up and go to work on Wednesday morning. And did any of the other drivers or supervisors in the bus yard notice that she was drunk? OUSD you have a big problem here and the buck stops with you and not the bus driver.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 1:24 pm
Anonymous @ 12:10pm,
“Let Kim face her choice. It was her choice, her business.”
Yes, it was her choice… and her choice impacted the safety of all the children on that bus and the truck driver who hit the bus as a consequence of her misjudgment. It should be our choice that she never drives another school bus again.
an Ojai Dad
1 Oct 09 at 1:53 pm
Yes the district knew about the problem and they did nothing about it. We need change, our children’s lives are at stake. The OUSD should contract out all bus services to Durham. It saves money and prevents the liability problem that the district now has because kids were injured.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 2:43 pm
Kim’s choice is ALWAYS our business when she makes those choices as a public employee while driving a school bus!
come on!
1 Oct 09 at 3:27 pm
How many parents had an opportunity to smell the drivers breath?
Who is worse the driver for knowingly endangering the children, or the parents for not knowing the bus driver was drunk?
How many parents today checked the bus driver that picked the kids up to see if they are sober?
I’m only saying ups requires you to sign for packages they deliver, but precious cargo is loaded and shipped like cattle.
wow
1 Oct 09 at 4:17 pm
Excuse me bus driver can you please get off the bus so I can smell your breath, and can you walk this line, touch your finger to your nose, stand on one leg, say your abc’s, close your eyes look up, count down from 20, ok your good to go now thank you.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 4:34 pm
number one is kids safety,yes but how about all you parents out there that drank the night before and put your kids in the car the next morning, did you all think that the alcohol was still in your system .04% is nothing. Kim would never put those kids in harms way. or how about that beer you drank with dinner and drove your family home? everybody sure knows how to bad mouth a good person, but look at the the mistakes you have done. Does anyone know the exact levels, let the justice system show it, before you start blaming.
By the way kids talking are adults now that rode her bus for many years and their sibling ride also.
By the way we don’t drink. What someone does in their private time is their business. Just remember you could get a 502 the next day also.
kids
1 Oct 09 at 5:19 pm
She pulled infront of me twice, once at a yeild sign another at a stop. Drove way to fast. Rude. I should have called O.U.S.D.
32ford
1 Oct 09 at 5:36 pm
“kids”
Getting a DUI on your own time is your own personal mistake. Getting a DUI while on the job is beyond stupid and potenially a tragic outcome. Try not to confuse people’s personal lives with their professional lives.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 5:38 pm
It is absurd to defend this woman. I can think of few jobs where it’s more important to be sober and alert. No matter the reason why she was under the influence, this is one of the most irresponsible things I’ve ever heard of and she should be punished accordingly. There are no second chances if you kill someone, so there must be zero tolerance.
Tracey
1 Oct 09 at 6:22 pm
If you all knowing people knew about the problem then you are also the problem. That’s Ojai for you all talk!!
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 6:34 pm
Of course the school district knew they had a problem, but the union protects their own, despite the prior record of this bus driver. It is next to impossible to fire anyone at the OUSD.
anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 7:01 pm
Anonymous Oct 1,09 @ 11:33 a.m.: Kim never had another DUI!! Yes she was pulled over, but was cleared right then and there.
Christine Oct 1,09 @ 1:16 p.m.: Kim was not pulled off of her route for weeks, she had close relative pass away.
Anonymous Oct 1, 09: What makes you think that contracting out is going to be any better? What are those Bus Drivers any better that OUSD drivers, how so, contracting out will only cost OUSD more money in travel costs and they would have to pay for benefits for those drivers that have them now, and further more there is no less liability in one company over another.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 7:08 pm
So what if she had a little bit of alcohol in her system? She wasn’t above the legal limit.
You parents are so high and mighty with your preaching. If you’re so great, why don’t you drive the bus?? Its not an easy job and causes a lot of stress.
From this story, its pretty obvious the other driver was at fault. Why not jump down his throat instead of poor Kim’s?
Kim's Friend
1 Oct 09 at 8:21 pm
THE UNION WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE HER JOB! What Kim did was wrong, but her driving record is great, it has to be inorder to be a School Bus Driver. They are held to a higher requirement. Kim would not have been driving if she had an earlier infraction. As far as contracting out (Anonymous Oct 1 09) @ 2:43: OUSD HAS AWESOME DRIVERS. DON’T BLAME THEM FOR KIMS ACTIONS. THANK GOODNESS NO-ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 8:58 pm
She went out the night before and had a few drinks.
Where? Are there any pictures of being handcuffed?
Bangser arrived on the scene shortly afterwards?
Questions. We have questions.
happy hour
1 Oct 09 at 9:17 pm
Ojai Dad:
It is not your choice to say who can drive a School Bus or not, They are screened, finger printed thru Life Scan that goes thru the FBI and local agencies. They have to be Trained, they are not just some person off the street and put behind the wheel and say here you go have at it. Not just anybody is willing to put up with the kids, road hazards, crazy drivers, & the elements ie: rain, wind, road closures, etc. I know a couple of Drivers in Ventura Unified and Ojai and it is a tough job. Kim made a mistake, (HUGE YES) but they test thru the DMV and CHP. So she will not be able to drive a School bus again, And although this did happen Kim did have a good driving record, or the CHP<DMV would have pulled her School bus license. So greatful no one was hurt.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 9:22 pm
Kim’s Friend; I must have missed the part where the other driver was drunk too.. and booked into the Ventura County Jail, someone with that kind of responsibilty should have zero alcohol in their system, poor Kim is she now the victim. Get a grip Kim’s Friend! Cudos to all the other no alcohol in their system drivers.
Tdub
1 Oct 09 at 9:34 pm
Kim’s Friend what do you mean so what if she had a little bit of alcohol in her system? She had 31 students on that bus. If someone would have been seriously injured I wounder if you would still be defending her.
How can driving a bus be so stressful seriously? Thats so dumb!
The man driving the truck wasnt taking 31 students to school so I dont know why you think we should put the blame on him.
Anonymous
1 Oct 09 at 9:56 pm
Good to see all of Kim’s fellow bus drivers coming to her defense. No harm, no foul. Now where is that Union lawyer, we need to get her back on the job.
anonymous
2 Oct 09 at 8:08 am
The only way to get fired in the OUSD is to kill someone or get caught downloading porn on a school computer. My guess is she will be suspended for 6 weeks with pay and then be back on the job. Sounds a bit like the Avary punishment.
anonymous
2 Oct 09 at 8:29 am
What is with “new yorker” and some of you others who despise unions? I think people who resent unions must enjoy exploitative workplaces. At any rate, the teacher’s union does not have classified (i.e., bus drivers) in its membership. The way some of you bloggers write makes me think that for many of you, even if your bus got you to school safely, you never paid attention in class. So many people speak without possession of supporting facts or evidence. Now, regarding this bus incident, I agree with the blogger who wrote that perhaps it is time for the driver to look into A.A. In the meantime, I am grateful that no one was seriously injured. It could have been worse …
someone
2 Oct 09 at 9:28 am
And this is exactly one of the MANY reasons why my child does not take the bus. With how the children fight on the bus and when they get off, followed by creeps once they get off the bus, and the bus stops being so far away from your home…and now a bus driver drinking and driving our children around??…this is exacty why I drop-ff and pick-up my kid from school.
Anonymous
2 Oct 09 at 9:45 am
Where does it say her FELLOW BUS DRIVER CO-WORKERS are coming to her defense? Don’t throw all bus drivers under the bus if you don’t have your facts straight!!! What Kim did is wrong!!!!!!! & THIS IS NOT A BUS DRIVER SAYING THIS EITHER!!
Anonymous
2 Oct 09 at 10:09 am
Is it suppose to bring some measure of comfort when bloggers keep saying “it could have been worse”. How much worse? Wait for the bus to go off a cliff killing all the kids, but fortunately the drunk bus driver lives. And then say it could have been worse the driver could have died.
anonymous
2 Oct 09 at 10:20 am
MY TEENAGERS (NOW GROWN UP WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN) TOLD ME FOR YEARS THAT THE OUSD BUS DRIVERS WERE “CRAZY BAD DRIVERS” AND THEY COULDN’T WAIT TO DRIVE THEMSELVES TO NORDHOFF. MANY TIMES I SAW KIDS RUNNING TO CATCH THE BUS AND THE DRIVER DELIBERATELY DITCH THEM. I’M NOT REALLY SHOCKED THAT ONE FINALLY CRASHED.
MV
2 Oct 09 at 2:57 pm
I’m so glad to see some common sense out there let the trial begin. Wait for facts people. Ojai and their payton place, to scrutinize everybody that does wrong like none of you have done wrong in your lives. She still wasn’t drunk people. She could of put mouth wash or breath spray in her mouth and blew a .04% get with it, it all has alcohol content. Thankfull the kids are okay. I’m going to defend these bus drivers due to the fact I’ve been dropping kids off for years to school and watch how some of you ignore those big buses and don’t give them the right away in their busy schedules. How many schools do they drop in the morning quite a few of all you dart in front of them to get yourself off to work after dropping your kids off at school. I watch while kim is pulled over picking up kids across from washington mutal every morning and you guy blow right passed her with red lights flashing. so now on I will write all your license plates down that pass through there on both sides not just one, then we will scrutinze all of you.
These bus drivers do a damn good job and I give them credit to put up with all of our screaming a braty kids that ever have rode those buses. This lady drives forestry workers to fight fires in our canyons when needed. What are you all doing she is part of our community have some respect you don’t have to trash her. 19yrs of service.
kids
2 Oct 09 at 8:34 pm
Excuse Me MV: HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT, WHEN WE DO NOT DELIBERATELY DITCH KIDS AT ANY SCHOOL OR STOP. THEY ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL WE CAN NO LONGER SEE THEM. WE ARE NOT CRAZY BAD DRIVERS, WE ARE STRONG, TRAINED WOMEN WITH MORE YEARS DRIVING THE ROADS OF OJAI THAN MOST PEOPLE, WE CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS. I DON’T KNOW HOW OLD YOUR CHILDREN ARE NOW, BUT MAYBE THE DRIVERS THEY HAD THEN ARE NO LONGER DRIVING. I HAVE MORE THAN 21 YEARS OF DRIVING AS A BUS DRIVER AT OUSD AND MORE THAN 30 YEARS WITH A DRIVERS LICENSE, WE ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL DRIVERS, WE APPRECIATE PEOPLE WHO LET US OUT IN TRAFFIC, WE LET PARENTS KNOW WHEN THE BUS MIGHT BE LATE, WE DON’T ALLOW PROBLEMS TO ARISE BETWEEN KIDS, NO NAME CALLING, NO SAYING CERTAIN WORDS ON THE BUS, WE ARE TEACHERS, MOMS, LISTENERS, CARE GIVERS, BUT MOST OF ALL WE ARE VERY GOOD BUS DRIVERS WITH GREAT MINDS AND GREAT SKILL IN WHAT WE DO EVERYDAY. THANK YOU!!
DOROTHY
2 Oct 09 at 9:09 pm
calm down “kids” maybe you’re the one that needs the drink right now.
Anonymous
2 Oct 09 at 9:21 pm
This is a case where the bus driver has an alcohol problem. She needs treatment and I hope she gets it. I also hope that the OUSD has a zero tolerance for this type of infraction. the stakes are too high to let this slide. And “kids”, others breaking the law has nothing to do with this bus driver being arrested for DUI.
anonymous
3 Oct 09 at 7:38 am
Maybe Kim was preparing for the centennial celebration
this weekend? I remember a lot of dopers from NHS
during the 1970′s. They had some good stuff. Best in
the county. Is it still the same way? I guess so.
happy hour
3 Oct 09 at 7:50 am
What a shame that one person can change the lives of many in just one second. Hope everyone is ok. Sounds like the driver needs help.
anonymous
3 Oct 09 at 10:46 am
Welcome back bus driver Dorothy. Was this incident out of left field or was it something a supervisor should have seen coming?
anonymous
3 Oct 09 at 2:47 pm
OBVIOUSLY SOME BUS DRIVERS CARE BUT THIS ONE DID NOT!!!! I THINK ITS TIME FOR HER TO BE PULLED OFF AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE GOOOOD BUS DRIVERS THAT DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE WITH OUR CHILDREN ON THE BUS!!I GUESS THOSE OF YOU WHO SAY THAT SHE MADE A BAD JUDGMENT DIDN’T HAVE KIDS THAT WER ON THAT BUS OR YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE MAD AT THE SITUATION ALSO INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIND AN EXCUSE FOR THIS WOMAN!!
OJAI MOM
3 Oct 09 at 3:50 pm
wow she was my bus driver once upon a time she was very mean and wouldnt even drop us off where she was suppose too i guess she had a bottle to get home too it all makes sense now. not all bus drivers are irresponsible but she does give a bad name to those who do care.
me
3 Oct 09 at 6:06 pm
Enough already. Your all so qwick to jump to conclusions. It was the other driver’s fault. How is it Kim’s fault. By the way, which of you havn’t driven drunk?
Kim's Friend
3 Oct 09 at 8:45 pm
Its Kims fault because she was drunk driving! Yes im sure people have driven drunk before but here is the BIG diffrence that you dont seem to get, she was driving a school bus with kids on it! Hello? Do you get it now?
Anonymous
4 Oct 09 at 9:20 am
There is a difference between DRUNK and having one drink with dinner, but if you get caught it doesn’t matter. She (kim) will have to pay the ultimate price(job,reputation,benefits,etc> forever.
anonymous
4 Oct 09 at 10:12 am
Kim’s Friend: Do you honestly believe that most people drive drunk??????? I NEVER have, nor have most people that I know. Perhaps the fact that you, as Kim’s friend, think that this is a common occurrence, and that, as such, it is no big deal, speaks volumes about what has been going on in Kim’s life for some time! It is frightening to me to think that you are also out there on the road!!!!! It would not matter how many people have driven drunk anyway. Kim was entrusted with the care and safety of those children – an obligation that she agreed to when she took the job. If she was unwilling or unable to meet that obligation, she should have had the decency to resign. There is no excuse for willingly putting so many people at risk.
annonymous
4 Oct 09 at 10:42 am
she was my bus driver and she said that she liked the smell of cigars and i was thinking to myself, why would she say this to us?
Anonymous
4 Oct 09 at 2:02 pm
After 11:00 PM one out of seven drivers have had some alcohol and is on the road driving. Ojai is no exception and the rate is probably higher in our little town.
anonymous
4 Oct 09 at 5:02 pm
How about at 7am??
annonymous
4 Oct 09 at 5:48 pm
The rate is a lot higher in Ojai because of the affluence and money. I live close to Villanova
High School and it was attacked and vandalized by six
white punks a year ago. They were high on crack and alcohol. The sheriff failed to punish these gang bangers
because of their political connections. This gang of thugs is out every night smoking dope and drinking.
Red Head
4 Oct 09 at 6:18 pm
What ever happened to those kids? We heard nothing of it. Hey OVN how about a follow up story about these kids and where they are today. Thanks.
anonymous
5 Oct 09 at 8:20 am
What does vandals have to do with driving a school bus with kids on it while intoxicated? NOTHING, 2 different stories here.
anonymous
5 Oct 09 at 8:53 am
in response to “kids” @ 8:34 pm – don’t bother writing down license plate numbers for people that don’t stop at the flashing lights on the other side of the 4 lane road by Chase bank – I called the Sheriff’s Dept and you don’t have to stop on the other side. It is not illegal. Only on the side the bus is pulled over (at least on that stretch of road)
Donna
5 Oct 09 at 9:18 am
Having lived across from a school bus stop for 17 years, I have seen kids running late trying to make the bus in the morning, sometimes coming from across the street from the bus.
Kids also bring balls and other toys while waiting and often run into the street while playing even as the bus approaches.
But mostly, I’ve seen vehicles completely ignore the flashing bus lights while students are exiting the bus in all directions, as well as nearly take out the bus drivers holding stop signs in preparation for crossing the students. (I stopped requesting police enforcement years ago after I saw a CHP let a driver get away with running the flashing lights right in front of him.)
Drivers from both directions should stop. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the safe thing to do.
Sondra Murphy
5 Oct 09 at 12:38 pm
‘someone’ Unions outgrew their usefullness when labor laws came into play. Now all they are for are people that cannot speak or act for themselves to the tune of huge union dues. AND usually they get in the way of these same persons persoanl freedoms. The bus service in most towns is entirely union run. If Ojai is different, you are correct, I didn’t know this before my comment. We’ll see how this gets handled in due time but I will stick to my opinion that this rogue bus driver, who, by the way does have a terrible reputation in a few catagories, will get represented by a union atty or not.
new yorker
5 Oct 09 at 1:15 pm
OUSD classified employees have the option of joining a local chapter of California School Employees Association. If the driver in question is a member, then she may have access to legal assistance per her request. There are a number of factors that could impact that access, however. Having once been a member of this union, I can say the dues were a comfortable percentage of my wages.
BTW, state and federal labor laws “came into play” because of the hard work by unions for decades to convince lawmakers to require employers to offer equal opportunity, fair wages and civilized work hours.
Sondra Murphy
5 Oct 09 at 3:44 pm
Sondra you are doing it again. Blogging on a news article that your paper wrote. It looks unprofessional.
anonymous
5 Oct 09 at 5:44 pm
The comment about the vandals is totally inaccurate and has nothing to do with this article.
Anon
5 Oct 09 at 8:24 pm
As for Sondra Murphy blogging, she is entitled to do so as a parent and a citizen of the Valley. Also it is law to STOP in both directions except on a divided highway (ie: Maricopa Hwy @ Chase bank the east bound traffic doesn’t need to stop. That is the only place in the Valley that you don’t have to stop in both directions.Oh but wait that has nothing to do with this blog now does it? Thanks anyway.
Anon
5 Oct 09 at 9:58 pm
Anon, how do you know what is accurate about the vandalism? Are you a school board member? OVN give us the details to clear up the mystery of the “boys gone bad”.
anonymous
6 Oct 09 at 8:23 am
It has now been one year since 7 white punks brutally
attacked and desecrated Villanova Prep. They were
driving around late at night and drinking. People of all
ages are doing this in Ojai. The OVN and the police know
this. Why the cover-up? Release the names of these criminals and who the wealthy, prominent parents of the
community are. Does anybody remember how 3 Mexicans were
arrested the same day in Saticoy and jailed for the
lesser crime of painting a drainage ditch? They spent a
couple of months in the El Rio Detention Facility.
Lifelong Resident
6 Oct 09 at 8:46 am
Anon. 5 Oct. 5:44 p.m.:
I thought the union info would be helpful, but thanks for the professional advice. Are you suggesting I blog anonymously?
Sondra Murphy
6 Oct 09 at 10:13 am
Llifelong Resident is nosy and can’t let this drop. Many people know who they are. Too bad you don’t have the right connections.
Anon
6 Oct 09 at 11:48 am
“Lifelong resident”, the answer to your question about the boys who vandalized Villanova is nothing happened to them. Slap on the wrist and sent home to mommy & daddy. Did you expect something else?
anonymous
6 Oct 09 at 1:12 pm
Just help her, then we all know that she will loose her DMV Bues lic.
tailgateer
6 Oct 09 at 1:30 pm
Sondra,
I did not write the comment you referenced above. I could care less if you blog or not. In fact, I rarely blog anymore out of disgust for the inferior blogging skills displayed by others on a daily basis.
Anon.5
Truth Coalition
Anon.5
6 Oct 09 at 4:08 pm
WHAT DOES VANALISM HAVE TO DO WITH THIS STORY? NOTHING!!! GET OFF THE STORY OF THE GANG BANGERS, THIS IS ABOUT A BUS DRIVER WHO WAS CAUGHT WITH A DUI.
Anon
6 Oct 09 at 5:01 pm
for all u idiots…How was OUSD supposae to know she was in the condition she was? DO NOT blame it on OUSD. Its her fault she knew what she was doing that morning going to work and driving. OUSD have NOTHING to do with this accident! stupid.
anonymousss
6 Oct 09 at 7:52 pm
This DUI bus driver is not the only drunk at OUSD. Wake up Ojai we have an alcohol problem in our little town.
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 8:10 am
So I guess Kim will get a “slap on the wrist and sent
home to mommy and daddy” (johnny walker,OUSD,lifelong
residents of Ojai, white punks on dope,etc.,etc.)? Is
this the moral of the story?
Happy Hour
7 Oct 09 at 8:54 am
anonymous 10/06/09 @ 7:52 p.m. OUSD IS TO BLAME! HER SUPERVISOR AND ASSISTANT SUPER INTENDENT KNEW SHE OF HER CONDITION AND OR PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAVE CHOSEN TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY. I AM SURPRISED THAT THEY HAVE LOOKED THE OTHER WAY FOR SO LONG, CONSIDERING IF IT WERE ONE OF THERE CHILDREN OR GRAND CHILDREN WHO WAS ON THE BUS AND GOT HURT OR KILLED THEY WOULD HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS OR WOULD FEEL GUILTY FOR DOING SOMETHING SOONER MUCH LESS AT ALL. DONT TRY AND PROTECT THEM WHEN I KNOW FOR A FACT SHE IS AN ALCOHOLIC AND ALSO CO-WORKERS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED FOR YEARS AND HAVE REPORTED HER PREVIOUSLY. ALSO IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE TRUCK DRIVE HITTING HER SHE WOULD STILL BE DRIVING AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THANK GOD FOR SMALL FAVORS FROM THE TRUCK DRIVER
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 9:47 am
GOT CROWN IS CROWN ROYAL WHISKEY
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 9:56 am
KIM’S SUPERVISOR’S KNEW THAT SHE HAS A DRINKING PROBLEM. I WORK IN A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND WE HAVE A ZERO TOLORENCE FOR DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. WHILE I KNOW THAT THESE “BOSS’S” KNEW OF HER PROBLEM THEY DID NOTHING.I THINK THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE JUST AS MUCH AS HER. SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED TO BE TOLD GET IT TOGETHER OR LOSE YOUR JOB. NOT THAT EASY. THE PERSON WHO WROTE THAT SHE COULD HAVE USED MOUTH WASH IS RIGHT. YOU CAN STILL BLOW SOMETHING IF YOU USE MOUTH WASH. WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE MONEY FOR ALCOHOL GO TO THE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND OTHER PLACES FOR THERE GROOMING GEAR AND DRINK MOUTH WASH. ALSO SHE HAS THE UNION BEHIND HER. I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS OJAI HAS A PROBLEM WITH ALOT OF THINGS. THERE OSL GANG, THE UPPIDY UPS WHO THINK THEY ARE BETTER THEN EVERYONE ELSE AND THOSE WHO TURN A BLIND EYE TO THERE OWN COMMUNITY. I HAVE LIVED IN OAK VIEW MY WHOLE LIFE AND I WOULD NEVER LET MY CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL THERE OR EVEN PLAY SPORTS THERE. ONE REASON WE HAD TO PAY MORE MONEY BECAUSE WE WEREN’T IN THE CITY LIMITS. TWO, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE JUST THINK THEY ARE BETTER THEN EVERYONE.
TURBOCHRG
7 Oct 09 at 10:41 am
Seems to me that there are people in OUSD who do know a little bit more than everyone else about this FORMER driver. For anonymousss Oct 6, 09 @ 7:52 p.m.: Do you know how to spell? Why are you defending OUSD? I would have to agree with anonymous Oct 7, 09 @9:47 a.m. that if the District did know of her problem and they did nothing then they are just as much to blame.
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 10:55 am
When you work with someone for almost 20 years you get to know them. OUSD bus drivers and supervisor knew of the problem, but they also knew that the case has to be air tight because of the union defense lawyers. So they found themselves in a catch 22 situation.
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 11:34 am
Misunderstanding, Anon. 5: I was responding to the person who posted anonymously on 5 Oct. at 5:44 p.m. and hastily abbreviated the first word.
Too bad so few come up with alter egos…or use their real names.
Sondra Murphy
7 Oct 09 at 11:40 am
Like what are the Bus Drivers suppose to do? Handcuff the driver themselves? How do you know they didn’t do their job and tell someone? I find it hard to believe that the UNION would defend such crimes!? How can you defend a DUI with all that happened? Give the rest of the OUSD BUS DRIVERS a break, they are not at fault here, but maybe supervisor(s) are just as much to blame. BOY how things would be different if someone had been hurt or killed. Like anonymous @ 9:47 a.m. Oct 7, 09 said Thank God for small favors ie: TRUCK DRIVER who hit the bus!!
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 8:13 pm
SSSSSHHHHH!!!!!
anonymous
7 Oct 09 at 8:15 pm
“It could have been worst”, thank God?
anonymous
8 Oct 09 at 8:23 am
I would like to know why is was not in the Ojai Valley News Paper? Did someone ask the paper not to put anything in it do to repercussion from the public? The public had a RIGHT to know about a story like this.!! So thumbs down to OJAI VALLEY NEWS FOR NOT REPORTING.
anonymous
8 Oct 09 at 10:25 am
WASN’T SHE SUPPOSE TO GO TO COURT ON 10/30/09? THAT IS WHAT THE PAPER SAID. ANYBODY HEARD ANYTHING? HOPFULLY THE JUDGE WILL THROW THE BOOK, NEVER TO DRIVE SCHOOL KIDS AGAIN.
OJAI NATIVE
4 Nov 09 at 11:03 pm
Fullenwider’s court appearance has been continued until Dec. 10, 2009, at 9 a.m. in Superior Courtroom 10, where she is scheduled to be arraigned.
Admin
5 Nov 09 at 7:40 am
She’s a wonderful driver. It’s obvious her and Avary are scapegoats for a larger problem.
Kim
5 Nov 09 at 1:15 pm
KIM: ARE YOU FOR REAL? A GOOD DRIVER DOESN’T DRIVE DRUNK WITH ANYONE AND DOESN’T GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF ANY VEHICLE WHILE DRUNK. IF YOU WANT TO DRINK THEN STAY AT HOME . THAT IS A GOOD DRIVER. NO SCAPEGOAT, SHE IS GETTING WHAT SHE DESERVES. AVARY GOT OFF WITH A SLAP ON THE WRIST. HOPEFULLY SHE WILL CHANGE HER WAYS AND HABITS TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE DRINKING.
OJAI NATIVE
12 Nov 09 at 8:59 pm
Aren’t you high and mighty with your preaching about write and rong. Get off your high horse.
Kim
13 Nov 09 at 12:41 am
Nobody is preaching about “write” and “rong” It should be common sense that drunks shouldn’t drive. If this woman was drunk driving a school bus full of kids around, imagine what she’s like off the clock…
Jesse
13 Nov 09 at 12:17 pm
Jesse,
It looks like my Truth Foundation seminars are working for you after all. You are actually using logic when you write. Keep up the good work and I’ll see you at the next meeting.
Ret. Lieut. John Doe
Life Coach
John Doe
13 Nov 09 at 2:40 pm
John,
Once I washed the hillbilly out of my eyes the truth became clear…
Jesse
13 Nov 09 at 3:40 pm
I used to be a fundamentalist Muslim until I accepted the Truth Coalition. Now I realize coffee shops are dens of treason
Jesse
13 Nov 09 at 6:25 pm
KIM:
Do you know how to spell? (RIGHT & WRONG) and I am not on a HIGH HORSE, but I do know I will never DRINK & DRIVE. What I posted was the truth and you need a reality check, & there is no common sense about this why? Because when your DRUNK you can’t think about common sense,it is the law and why do people insist on doing things that are stupid and dangerous.
OJAI NATIVE
13 Nov 09 at 10:26 pm
Jesse,
When you have the truth, you know longer need simple things like jihad and caffeine.
Ret. Lieut. John Doe
Friend of LRH
John Doe
13 Nov 09 at 11:40 pm
I avow my Sovereignty to all that is truth and eschew obfuscation
Jesse
14 Nov 09 at 2:18 pm
Jesse,
It was great seeing you at the meeting yesterday. Your dentures look really nice. You need to quit wearing leotards and fox shawl. It makes you look crazy.
Ret. Lieut. John Doe
John Doe
15 Nov 09 at 10:49 am
Another postponement? What is up with this, now another court date set for January 8, 2010. Your guilty Kim.
Anonymous
11 Dec 09 at 12:04 am
REALLY…SHE HASN’T EVEN BEEN TO COURT YET? I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE MONTHS AGO. SHE MUST HAVE GOTTEN A GREAT ATTORNEY…I NOTICE SHE IS STILL DRIVING AROUND. SHE DIDN’T EVEN LOSE HER LICENSE YET…REALLY?
ADMIN NOTE: Per the county’s website, Fullenwider is scheduled to appear in court January 8.
ANONYMOUS
21 Dec 09 at 3:22 pm