The Arizona Department of Transportation is clear: those who hold a commercial driver’s license or CDL follow a different set of guidelines than other drivers. Some of these guidelines are stricter for those who drive for a living. A reason for this is that these vehicles are much bigger than passenger vehicles and some of these vehicles, such as buses, have passengers on board. Such strict guidelines are especially important when it comes to drinking and driving. Those who hold a regular driver’s license, have a legal limit for blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent. Those who hold a CDL and drive trucks or buses, for example, are limited to a blood alcohol level of no more 0.04 percent.
ABC15 News reports that a Scottsdale bus driver has been charged with manslaughter in connection for his connection to a crash earlier this month. The March 9th crash resulted in the death of a female rideshare passenger whose identity has not been released. According to the Scottsdale Police Department, the accident happened on Saturday, March 9th when a vehicle being driven by Pervis Pendleton, 66, ran a red light and crashed into a ride-sharing car.
A woman who was in the ride-sharing vehicle was critically injured in the collision with severe, life-threatening head trauma. The woman later died as a result of the injuries she sustained in the crash. An additional male passenger who was also in the rideshare vehicle at the time of the accident suffered severe head lacerations. Pendleton admitted to Scottsdale police officers that he had been at a friend’s house before the crash and had two beers. Testing at the scene indicated that Pendleton had a 0.127, blood alcohol level at the time.
Police have charged him with manslaughter, aggravated assault, and endangerment. Pendleton has been a bus driver for 18 years for the city of Scottsdale.
Authorities say that Pendleton is due to appear in court on March 26th.
