Granville County school bus driver charged with drunk driving after being spotted driving children erratically on morning route

Creedmoor police arrested a Granville County Schools bus driver on Wednesday on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Lauren Coble, 45, is charged with operating a commercial vehicle under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving. She is charged with 10 counts of child abuse and 53 counts of child endangerment.

Coble also faces several traffic violations, including

• Driving left of the center
• Violations of text messaging while driving a commercial vehicle
• Exceeding the maximum permitted speed
• Failure to stop at a stop sign or traffic light
• A wrong turn

Wheless said Coble turned himself in Thursday morning. Wheless said Coble drove for Mount Energy Elementary School in Creedmoor. Wheless also said the bus Coble was driving was packed with elementary school students.

“Our department fully supports the administration of Granville County Public Schools and their commitment to ensuring the safety of our students and staff,” Wheless said in a news release. “We will work closely with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure that anyone who endangers the safety of our students, staff and members of the public at any of our schools is held accountable for their actions.”

Granville County School District officials contacted Creedmoor Police on August 29 because a school bus was exhibiting erratic driving behavior on its morning route.

An arrest warrant states that Coble was watching videos on her cellphone while driving. The warrant also states that she was driving at 30 mph through a 20 mph zone in downtown Creedmoor.

The warrant also states that Coble missed a stop sign, attempted to turn left and drove into the grass near the intersection of Wilton Avenue and Church Street.

Creedmoor Police Chief Troy Wheless said Coble drove students to school and also worked as a teaching assistant there.

A Granville County Schools spokesman said Coble is no longer employed by the school district.

“Fortunately, no students, staff or members of the public were injured as a result of the former employee’s actions,” the district spokesperson wrote in an email.

The spokesman said the district immediately relieved Coble of her driving duties after receiving a report of her erratic driving.

“We immediately removed the driver from duty and investigated the incident,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “The employee was subsequently terminated.”

According to Granville County Schools, Coble worked as a school bus driver and a teaching assistant.