School bus driver charged with DUI found with 17 bottles of prescription meds, authorities say

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/Gray News) - An Edgefield County bus driver suspected of driving under the influence is facing charges, including child endangerment.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Janice Waldorf, 62, was arrested on Sept. 25 while she was bringing Merriweather Elementary second-graders back from a field trip.

Officers said they pulled her bus over at Interstate 20 and Edgefield Road to perform a sobriety test.

The report released Thursday by the public safety showed she wasn’t found to be under the influence of alcohol. Instead, the substance was a depressant.

Authorities said officers found Waldorf to have 17 bottles of prescription medications with her despite telling officers she wasn’t taking any.

According to officers, she did tell them she suffered “trigger finger and carpal tunnel” and was drowsy when she was pulled over.

Authorities performed a field sobriety test and later conducted other tests, finding that she had a 0.00% blood alcohol level. However, an evaluation determined she was under the influence of central nervous system depressants, according to the report.

Authorities stated that six of the bottles of prescription medication were out of date, with the 11 other medications being currently in date.

Jail records show Waldorf was charged with driving under the influence, less than 0.10%, first offense, and child endangerment.

Waldorf, a school bus driver with the school district since July 2023, was placed on administrative leave pending the completion of an investigation.