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RICHFIELD — A driver who police say had a blood-alcohol content nearly five times the legal limit is facing two dozen charges accusing him of hitting a school bus with children on board.
Leonel Cedillo, 49, was booked into the Sevier County Jail on Tuesday for investigation of 14 counts of reckless endangerment, failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving injury, DUI, having an open container in his vehicle, driving on a suspended license, not having insurance, failing to yield the right of way, and having a vehicle with an expired registration.
The accident happened at the intersection of 600 East and 100 North in Richfield about 3:20 p.m. A school bus with 12 children and two adults on board was hit when a minivan "ran through a yield sign and collided with the back end of the bus, resulting in minor injuries," according to Richfield police.
"One of the children had hit her head when the school bus was struck," a police booking affidavit states.
The driver of the minivan, Cedillo, drove away but was spotted and stopped by Richfield Police Chief Trent Lloyd about 20 minutes later near 170 N. 300 East, the affidavit states.
Responding officers could smell a "strong odor" of alcohol on Cedillo's breath, the affidavit alleges. Police say he was also "unable to keep his balance" when asked to perform field sobriety tests.
Police reported finding an open can of beer inside the minivan along with other empty cans of beer. A breath test measured Cedillo's blood-alcohol level at 0.244%, or nearly five times the legal limit, the affidavit says.
