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Story on KOMO about bus driver with firearm on bus

compmanio365

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http://www.komotv.com/news/11080901.html



SPANAWAY -- A Bethel School District school bus driver, who six years ago was hailed as a hero for saving 22 kids from a burning bus, was arrested early Wednesday morning for allegedly having a loaded handgun and marijuana on her bus.

School District spokesman Mark Wenzel said school officials received an anonymous tip that Cheryl Mooring had a gun on her bus. Two officials from the school's transportation department went to the site where the bus driver was about to pick up a group of kids and called police after interviewing the driver.

Deputies searched the bus and found a loaded handgun.

The bus was taken back to the bus barn by another driver, and a subsequent search of the bus also turned up a case with marijuana and a pipe, Detective Ed Troyer said.

Mooring was booked into the Pierce County Jail for investigation of unlawful possession of a firearm, three counts of possession of weapon on school property, and marijuana possession.

Troyer said Mooring was also intoxicated when deputies arrived, but she was not operating a vehicle at the time, so there were no alcohol-related crimes.

Wenzel said the driver has been with the school district for at least five years.

In 2001, Mooring was honored by state lawmakers for saving 22 kids from her bus after a fiery collision with an SUV near Graham.

Mooring was trapped in the driver's seat of her bus as smoke filled the interior, but she managed to pry herself free and search the bus to make sure all the students were able to get out.

"It is ironic that this happened and that she was lauded for her valor just a few years ago," Wenzel said. "It's been difficult, but we're just relieved, frankly, that no kids were hurt in this."

Investigators said Mooring does not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and she allegedly told detectives that the gun had been planted on the bus.

She has been placed on unpaid leave while prosecutors determine whether to file charges.

[line]

Hmm, the one part of this article I take offense to is the part where they are speaking like the gun was just going to jump up on it's own and start shooting all the "poor childrens!" It sounds like this woman is a good person, so I wonder why she felt compelled to carry the handgun, even though she didn't have a CPL? And what is the deal with the marijuana? Is it for medicinal purposes?
 

sv_libertarian

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compmanio365 wrote:
[line]

Hmm, the one part of this article I take offense to is the part where they are speaking like the gun was just going to jump up on it's own and start shooting all the "poor childrens!" It sounds like this woman is a good person, so I wonder why she felt compelled to carry the handgun, even though she didn't have a CPL? And what is the deal with the marijuana? Is it for medicinal purposes?
All very good questions. Of course neither one would be allowed on school grounds, although medicinal pot might win out in court. Can't see how the gun was legal though. Damnit, I would like to see all bus drivers school or transit armed.

Steve
 

sv_libertarian

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jonnyjeeps wrote:
Doesnt the law give exception for cc at home and at your place of buisness?

She works on the bus?
"permanent fixed place of business" At any rate you need a CPL to carry in a vehicle, plus there is probably something in the rules where she works that no guns allowed, plus there is probably other BS that keeps the people who are supposed to keep our kids safe from being armed (for the sake of the children of course)

Steve
 

BluesBear

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I know someone who drove a school bus in Edmonds for about five years. Shehas a CPL and carried a gun on her bus every single day. No marijayhootchie though.

Their policy manual states the drivers are prohibited from having ANY sort of weapon at all. No guns, knives, clubs, or mace. Nyet, Nada, Nein, Nothing. She always asked how was she supposed to protect her kids if she wasn't armed. It was grounds for immediate termination but she said she'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

She drove a middle school route and after seeing some of the security tapes from her bus I think she'd more likely need it to protect herself. No offense to anyone, but personally I think anyone who drives a school bus unarmed is a fool.
 

just_a_car

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BluesBear wrote:
She drove a middle school route and after seeing some of the security tapes from her bus I think she'd more likely need it to protect herself. No offense to anyone, but personally I think anyone who drives a school bus unarmed is a fool.

Agreed, I went to school in the Edmonds school district from 6th-12th grade and the bus was one of the more dangerous times to be in the custody of the state.

When you're dealing with kids that have felony convictions and are known to carry knives and such... plus there's anywhere from 20-60 of them on the bus... going unarmedwould be like walking into an Islamic Extremist training camp with Apollo Creed Red/White/Blue shorts on and expect to be able to take a couple shots on some AK's at the range and head on home with a handshake.
 

joeroket

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sv_libertarian wrote:
jonnyjeeps wrote:
Doesnt the law give exception for cc at home and at your place of buisness?

She works on the bus?
"permanent fixed place of business" At any rate you need a CPL to carry in a vehicle, plus there is probably something in the rules where she works that no guns allowed, plus there is probably other BS that keeps the people who are supposed to keep our kids safe from being armed (for the sake of the children of course)

Steve
There is the BS of no guns on school provided transportation.
 

heresolong

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joeroket wrote:
There is the BS of no guns on school provided transportation.
Our trap team has to have a parent drive the shotguns to the range while the kids go in the school van. Absolutely moronic.
 

Cue-Ball

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I think it's a shame that a woman who obviously served the city well, did a great job, and never harmed anyone is probably going to wind up in prison. Our society should be ashamed of itself, and the laws that we pass and enforce.
 

compmanio365

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heresolong wrote:
joeroket wrote:
There is the BS of no guns on school provided transportation.
Our trap team has to have a parent drive the shotguns to the range while the kids go in the school van. Absolutely moronic.
What school is this, is it in Blaine? Used to live up that way and I don't remember there being a trap team.......something new they've added in the last few years?
 

ilbob

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Cue-Ball wrote:
I think it's a shame that a woman who obviously served the city well, did a great job, and never harmed anyone is probably going to wind up in prison. Our society should be ashamed of itself, and the laws that we pass and enforce.
Mooring was booked into the Pierce County Jail for investigation of unlawful possession of a firearm, three counts of possession of weapon on school property, and marijuana possession.

Troyer said Mooring was also intoxicated when deputies arrived, but she was not operating a vehicle at the time, so there were no alcohol-related crimes.
You really want someone who is intoxicated and armed driving a school bus?
 

dng

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I know I don't. She wasn't arrested for just the gun. She is a pothead... I don't want that person driving my kids around.
 

Cue-Ball

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You really want someone who is intoxicated and armed driving a school bus?
First off, you're making quite a leap by saying that she was intoxicated. I can have a six pack in my back seat. That doesn't mean I'm drunk. Nothing in the story indicates that she was impaired in any way. (edit: she was intoxicated when they arrested her, but there's no proof that she was while she was driving).

Secondly, I have absolutely no problem with her being armed, just as I have no problem with you being armed. She has as much right to self defense as anyone else.
 

Cue-Ball

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dngreer wrote:
I know I don't. She wasn't arrested for just the gun. She is a pothead... I don't want that person driving my kids around.
What's wrong with being a pothead? Most of the people I know drink liquor. It doesn't make them bad people, so long as they don't endanger anyone by doing so. I've seen nothing so far that would tell me that this woman was a danger to anyone. Until I do, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
 

dng

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Cue-Ball wrote:
dngreer wrote:
I know I don't. She wasn't arrested for just the gun. She is a pothead... I don't want that person driving my kids around.
What's wrong with being a pothead? Most of the people I know drink liquor. It doesn't make them bad people, so long as they don't endanger anyone by doing so. I've seen nothing so far that would tell me that this woman was a danger to anyone. Until I do, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
She had pot and a pipe, on the bus. Drugs are illegal; maybe you feel they should be legalized, but as of now, they're not. So you have someone who is responsible for kids every day who is breaking the law (which sets a bad example) and if she was smoking the night before she should not have kid's lives in her hands. If you want to argue that doing drugs is a personal choice, I can at leastunderstandthat. But when you cross the line of affecting yourself over to affecting others, not to mention children; that's not ok. That thinking blows my mind. Then you throw the gun in the mix; not good. I don't want to be around anyone that's been smoking pot and has a gun, because their ability to make decisions is not what it should be, much less give that person a bus filled with kids.
 

joeroket

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dngreer wrote:
Cue-Ball wrote:
dngreer wrote:
I know I don't. She wasn't arrested for just the gun. She is a pothead... I don't want that person driving my kids around.
What's wrong with being a pothead? Most of the people I know drink liquor. It doesn't make them bad people, so long as they don't endanger anyone by doing so. I've seen nothing so far that would tell me that this woman was a danger to anyone. Until I do, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
She had pot and a pipe, on the bus. Drugs are illegal; maybe you feel they should be legalized, but as of now, they're not. So you have someone who is responsible for kids every day who is breaking the law (which sets a bad example) and if she was smoking the night before she should not have kid's lives in her hands. If you want to argue that doing drugs is a personal choice, I can at leastunderstandthat. But when you cross the line of affecting yourself over to affecting others, not to mention children; that's not ok. That thinking blows my mind. Then you throw the gun in the mix; not good. I don't want to be around anyone that's been smoking pot and has a gun, because their ability to make decisions is not what it should be, much less give that person a bus filled with kids.
I am no lawyer but I suspect that the posession of marijuana charges will be thrown out. The article said they had another driver drive the bus back to the bus barn, or whatever they want to call it, and during a subsequent search they found the marijuana. Seems to me that the officers lost chain of custody as soon as the other driver drove off unless there was an officer on the bus with her, but I highly doubt that. In this instance you have no idea when the marijuana was put there or who put it there.
 

compmanio365

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dngreer wrote:
Cue-Ball wrote:
dngreer wrote:
I know I don't. She wasn't arrested for just the gun. She is a pothead... I don't want that person driving my kids around.
What's wrong with being a pothead? Most of the people I know drink liquor. It doesn't make them bad people, so long as they don't endanger anyone by doing so. I've seen nothing so far that would tell me that this woman was a danger to anyone. Until I do, I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
She had pot and a pipe, on the bus. Drugs are illegal; maybe you feel they should be legalized, but as of now, they're not. So you have someone who is responsible for kids every day who is breaking the law (which sets a bad example) and if she was smoking the night before she should not have kid's lives in her hands. If you want to argue that doing drugs is a personal choice, I can at leastunderstandthat. But when you cross the line of affecting yourself over to affecting others, not to mention children; that's not ok. That thinking blows my mind. Then you throw the gun in the mix; not good. I don't want to be around anyone that's been smoking pot and has a gun, because their ability to make decisions is not what it should be, much less give that person a bus filled with kids.
I agree about the gun and being intoxicated. They didn't say whether she was drunk or high. I definitely can't agree with driving and being impaired. I'm on the fence as far as her having the weapon with her while in that state. But if she smoked her (medicinal?) marijuana the night before, it's NOT going to affect her the next day. I mean, c'mon, we are talking about 2 hours max effective time here, not 10 hours later, she's still got a buzz going. I believe it should be legalized, but it's not, so......she shouldn't be doing it while driving any vehicle, and especially not while entrusted with a group of kids. But it doesn't get that specific whether she was intoxicated at all while driving. If so, then yes, she needs to be disciplined for that. If not, and she was perfectly lucid while driving, but was just armed, and had her medicinal stash with her (as what they usually use it for is nausea, which can hit suddenly), then I can't help but say I find nothing here morally wrong, even if it was legally the wrong thing to do.
 

Cue-Ball

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She had pot and a pipe, on the bus.
And? Did the pipe jump out and attack someone? What if she had cigarettes and a lighter? What if she had a cup of coffee? A drug is a drug is a drug. The arbitrary legality of one over the other has nothing to do with its effects or danger.

Drugs are illegal; maybe you feel they should be legalized, but as of now, they're not.
This has absolutely no bearing on whether or not she did anything wrong. It only has a bearing on whether she did anything illegal. We so often hear on this board "better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6", meaning that you're better off breaking the law and carrying your gun than you are obeying the law and leaving it at home because the law is not right. The same thing applies here.

So you have someone who is responsible for kids every day who is breaking the law (which sets a bad example)
I say that breaking the law is not necessarily a bad example. Civil disobedience is a good example. If they pass a law tomorrow outlawing all firearms, are you going to set a "good" example for your kids by turning in your guns, or are you going to set a "bad" example and stand up for your rights?

and if she was smoking the night before she should not have kid's lives in her hands.
So you're saying that if I drink a beer tonight I would be a danger driving to work tomorrow morning?

If you want to argue that doing drugs is a personal choice, I can at least understand that. But when you cross the line of affecting yourself over to affecting others, not to mention children; that's not ok.
Please explain to me how others were affected. Nobody was harmed (not even the poor, innocent children). She obviously was in control of herself and the vehicle since the only reason she was even investigated is because someone called in about her gun. Nobody said the she was driving unsafely, or that she was a threat to others. They only said that she had a firearm.

That thinking blows my mind.
The thinking that she hasn't hurt or endangered anyone, or the thinking that she's innocent until proven guilty?

Then you throw the gun in the mix; not good. I don't want to be around anyone that's been smoking pot and has a gun, because their ability to make decisions is not what it should be, much less give that person a bus filled with kids.
I agree that getting high (or drunk) and having a firearm is not a good mix. However, plenty of people do it all the time. Unless and until they pose a danger to others, they have done nothing wrong.

You are assuming that she was intoxicated while she was driving. The article says nothing of the sort. It only says that she was intoxicated when the police approached her about the weapon. I'm not willing to condemn this woman until we know all the facts. If she was intoxicated while she was driving, then she should be fired. But unless she was a danger I do not believe she should be jailed. It doesn't appear to me that she was a danger, because nobody reported erratic or dangerous driving.
 
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