Off-duty McRae police officer arrested for DUI while driving school bus in Telfair County

An off-duty McRae police officer was arrested for DUI on February 27 after allegedly driving a school bus while heavily impaired, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

MCRAE-HELENA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – An off-duty McRae police officer was arrested for DUI on Thursday morning after allegedly driving a school bus while heavily impaired, according to the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).

A GSP statement says just before 8:30 a.m. on February 27, a Georgia State Patrol trooper responded to a call from local law enforcement regarding a potentially impaired bus driver at Telfair County Elementary School. The request came after multiple 911 callers reported the driver was operating the bus in an unsafe manner while transporting children, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

Upon investigation, the trooper determined the driver, Theodore Ruggenberg, was heavily impaired and took him into custody on a DUI charge. The driver was then taken to the Telfair County Jail and released to jail personnel. Additional charges are pending.