A LaPorte man faces drunk driving charges after reportedly hitting a school bus full of children Wednesday afternoon and injuring one of them. The wreck occurred in the 100 block of west McClung Road, according to LaPorte Police. When they arrived, they found a school bus with damage to the rear and a red Pontiac Grand Prix with heavy front end damage.
The driver, Brad Ottum, 31, reportedly smelled of alcohol and admitted to drinking before the crash. He refused all field sobriety and chemical testing, so authorities obtained a warrant for a blood draw. Police say the BAC results were well above the legal limit. Ottum faces misdemeanor charges of operating while intoxicated endangerment, reckless driving and operating while intoxicated. Ottum was also cited for failure to maintain insurance. A 10-year-old passenger on the bus complained of pain after being thrown from his seat and was taken to IU Health LaPorte Hospital. No information about his condition is available.
The bus driver told police she was southbound on McClung Road and saw the Pontiac driving toward her at a high rate of speed. It struck the curb and veered toward the bus, hitting the driver’s side.
