The Highland’s County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Keith Edward Shifflett Sr. for DUI, Culpable Negligence and four counts of Child Abuse. Shifflett was transporting people to Project Graduation.
Here is a full excerpt of the HCSO Arrest Report:
“On 5/25/2024 Keith Edward Shifflett Sr did commit the offenses of child abuse without great bodily harm (four counts) and culpable negligence (thirty counts). This occurred at Panther Parkway and Cowboy Way, Sebring, Highlands County, Florida.
At 6:30 pm, Keith Edward Shifflett Sr was reported to be operating a Holiday Coach Lines bus and was believed to be intoxicated. The bus left Sebring High School with thirty six passengers, thirty adults and six juveniles, and was en route to Daytona Beach for a Project Graduation trip. After the bus left Sebring High School, Shifflett was reported to have ran three red lights and was operating the bus in a reckless manner. The passengers began to yell at Shifflett to stop the bus, though he would not stop. Another personal vehicle traveling with the group pulled in front of the bus and stopped their vehicle on Panther Parkway and Cowboy Way, causing Shifflett to stop the bus behind this stopped vehicle and law enforcement was called.
Shifflett was spoken to and believed to be impaired. Shifflett performed standardized field sobriety exercises and was subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage (charged by Florida DUI Uniform Traffic Citation). Law enforcement identified two wheel witnesses, one who was a passenger on this bus and the driver of the second bus, both of which provided sworn statements, positively identifying Shifflett as the impaired driver of the bus.
Out of the thirty six passengers on the bus, thirty adults wished to pursue criminal charges against Shifflett and the parents of four juveniles (on the behalf of the juveniles) wished to pursue criminal charges against Shifflett.
Due to Shifflett’s course of conduct, showing a wanton or reckless disregard for human life and safety, he exposed the thirty adult passengers to personal injury; therefore, he is being charged with thirty counts of culpable negligence.
Due to Shifflett’s actions, he committed an intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child; therefore, he is being charged with four counts of child abuse.”
