CLEARFIELD – A school van driver accused of arriving at the Clearfield Area Middle School after smoking marijuana waived her right to a preliminary hearing during Centralized Court on Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
Geraldine Elaine Bratton, 44, of Morrisdale has been charged with DUI; endangering the welfare of children; recklessly endangering another person; careless driving; possession of marijuana; and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, at approximately 2:50 p.m. March 18, Lawrence Township police received information about a known female school van driver, Bratton. She had allegedly been seen smoking marijuana in the Clearfield Mall parking lot.
The driver’s name, Bratton, and her vehicle information were subsequently relayed to school officials. At 3:10 p.m., police were contacted and advised the school van driver had pulled into the CAMS to pick up a student. Upon her arrival, school officials removed the student from the van and informed Bratton that she must park and wait for police.
Upon arrival to the scene, police requested that Bratton step out of the school van. She was informed about police receiving a complaint about her smoking marijuana while behind the wheel of a school van in the Clearfield Mall parking lot. Bratton, police said, had glassy eyes and thick speech.
Bratton was taken into custody and transported to the police station. During an interview, Bratton admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day after dropping students off at the school and returning home.
A search of Bratton’s purse, police said, turned up suspected marijuana and several items of drug paraphernalia, including a small metal pipe, a pill box, a plastic container with a white powdery residue and a pill crusher.
At 4:26 p.m. March 18, Bratton was transported to Clearfield Penn Highlands for blood testing. On April 2, a toxicology report confirmed Bratton’s use of marijuana.