A former Dunklin R-5 School District bus driver has been accused of driving while intoxicated while transporting 40 students earlier this year, according to court documents.
Dawna L. Brennan, 57, of Crystal City has been charged with 37 felony counts for endangering the welfare of a child and one misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated. She was charged with 37 felonies because only 37 of the 40 students on the bus were younger than 17, court records said.
A warrant was issued on Monday for Brennan’s arrest with bond set at $20,000. As of Tuesday, it does not appear that Brennan has been arrested and no court date is listed in court records.
Court documents also do not list an attorney for Brennan.
A statement from the Dunkin R-5 School District said Brennan was fired the day of the alleged DWI incident. A spokesman said she was hired as a district bus driver in September 2025.
According to the probable-cause statement filed by the Festus Police Officer Nicholas Gamm, he was contacted on Feb. 6 by Herculaneum Police Capt. Mark Grobe and Dunkin R-5 Officer Brad Tavener to assist with the investigation.
At about 3:20 p.m. that day, Brennan registered a .029 percent blood-alcohol content. In Missouri, .04 percent is the legal limit to operate a commercial vehicle, such as a school bus.
Gamm wrote that when he arrived at 4 p.m., he detected signs that Brennan was impaired.
Brennan allegedly admitted to drinking half a bottle of Coors Light before driving the bus, according to the report.
When Gamm performed a blood-alcohol content test, Brennan registered a .000 percent blood-alcohol content, the report said.
Gamm provided a list of medications she takes daily, and Gamm wrote multiple medications on the list have an adverse effect when consumed with alcohol.
Brennan was transported to the hospital to have her blood tested. The results were not disclosed in the report.
Investigators were provided with surveillance video that allegedly showed Brennan stopping at a parking lot near Kade’s Playground in William C. Haggard City Park, 776 Joachim Ave., in Herculaneum and drinking from a Coors Light beer bottle. Gamm wrote he retrieved the beer bottle from a trash can near the parking lot.
According to court documents, Brennan allegedly behaved similarly on at least two occasions in January. When she was asked if she thought about the children before drinking alcohol and driving a school bus, she allegedly said, “yes, but it made no difference.”
The Dunklin R-5 statement said Brennan passed all required pre-employment background checks, including a thorough driving record review.
“While court documents indicate a blood alcohol content of 0.029 percent – which is below the legal limit for commercial drivers – the Dunklin R-5 School District maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for alcohol, as any amount can impair judgment,” the statement said. “On the day of the incident, the driver transported 37 students under the age of 17, resulting in 37 felony charges of endangering the welfare of a child. Parents of the students were notified via email at the time.
“We are confident the judicial process will determine an appropriate outcome. Safety remains our top priority in the Dunklin R-5 School District.”