Drunken Dixon school bus driver gets probation

DIXON – A 56-year-old former Dixon school bus driver caught in May 2019 driving drunk with high school students on board must serve 4 years of probation and pay in excess of $25,000 in fines and fees, a Lee County judge ruled.

Timothy M. Cloutier pleaded guilty March 5 to aggravated DUI.

As part of a plea agreement, another count of aggravated DUI, nine counts of endangering the life of a child and one count of reckless conduct, both misdemeanors, were dismissed.

On March 5, Circuit Court Judge Jacquelyn Ackert also sentenced Cloutier to 180 days in jail, 200 hours of community service, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.

According to the charging document filed May 24, 2019, Cloutier’s BAC was higher than .08, and the nine students involved all were younger than 18.

Illinois Central School Bus Co. contacted the Dixon Police Department that May 15 to report an incident involving an intoxicated driver that happened the day before. Officers spoke with three company employees who were working that day, and gathered other evidence.

Cloutier was arrested around 11 a.m. May 28 in the 600 block of Marclare Street.