BY RACHEL DOVE
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. — West Virginia State Police arrested a school bus driver last week who crashed his bus into a utility pole in September, sending six students to the hospital.

Police arrested Walter Joseph Collie, 43, of Genoa, W.Va., accusing him of being under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.

Collie was transporting students to Fort Gay PK-8 School and Tolsia High School when the bus left the road and crashed into a power pole Sept. 12, 2022. Forty students were onboard the bus.

Collie was arrested Jan. 3 after remaining free pending bloodwork and a police investigation. He was transported to the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville, where he remains under a $36,000 bond.

Collie is facing charges of DUI with a minor in vehicle and DUI causing personal injury.

The Wayne County Board of Education would not comment other than to say Collie was terminated from his bus driver position Oct. 25.

According to court records, Collie was also arrested in Wayne County in December on drug-related charges.