The Charlotte community has been shaken by recent allegations involving a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus driver, who now faces additional charges for operating a school bus while reportedly impaired. Sylvia Dollard, 70, who has worked for the district since 2014, was suspended with pay following her arrest, according to reports from Queen City News. Dollard was initially taken into custody last Thursday after driving a bus from Oakdale Elementary with children aboard.
Authorities responded to a call about a "careless and reckless" school bus. When they arrived, they found 21 students outside the bus. Dollard now faces multiple child abuse charges in addition to the earlier charge of driving while impaired. This has left parents and the community very worried, as reported by WBTV.
During Dollard's arrest, police found an unlabeled bottle of pills in her purse. The full implications of this discovery are still unknown, according to a WCNC report. The community and school district are now waiting for the investigation results, as Dollard's suspension and the ongoing legal process raise concerns about the safety and monitoring systems in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
