Hoover school board fires bus driver charged with DUI after bus wreck

The Hoover school board today voted to fire the Hoover school bus driver who was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol Wednesday after wrecking his bus.

Mark Pierce, who had served as a bus driver for the Hoover school system since September, is terminated effective immediately, with his pay and benefits ending 15 days from now, in accordance with state law, Superintendent Kathy Murphy said.

School board President Earl Cooper thanked Murphy for her expeditious handling of the matter and declined to comment further, other than to say “The State Troopers said it all.”

Pierce wrecked his bus just before 5 p.m. Wednesday as he was exiting Interstate 459 North at Acton Road, according to the Alabama State Troopers. The bus left the road and went down an embankment to the tree line. No students were on the bus at the time of the crash, Murphy said Thursday.

Pierce had already finished his afternoon route and was returning his bus to its overnight location when the wreck occurred, school system spokesman Jason Gaston said.

Pierce's bus, labeled 2007-01, carried students from Spain Park High School only and served students in the Bluff Park, Shades Mountain, Alford Avenue area, Gaston said. He had taken 35 students home the day of the wreck, Gaston said.

That route typically lasts one hour and 20 minutes, with the bus typically returning to Spain Park High School just before 5 p.m., Gaston said.

Troopers took Pierce to the Jefferson County Jail Wednesday night, and he was charged with DUI and released Thursday morning on a $1,000 bond. His blood alcohol level was .15, which is four times the legal limit for someone operating a school bus, according to Troopers.

Murphy on Thursday issued a statement that said the most important role of a school district is the safety and well-being of its children.

“The Hoover City School District accepts and embraces that the safety of our children is priority one, and we will accept nothing less from our employees,” she said. “A serious breach of good judgment occurred on yesterday by one of our bus drivers. His failure to act responsibly could have resulted in serious injury and loss of life.”

This article was updated at 5:35 p.m. with additional information concerning Pierce's school bus route.