Woman accused of DUI crash involving school bus with her child in the passenger seat
Champion was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail for DUI involving property damage, DUI with a minor passenger, and willfully refusing to sign and accept a traffic summons. (PBC Jail)
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A Coconut Creek woman allegedly crashed into a Palm Beach County school bus while driving under the influence with an 11-year-old girl in the car.
According to the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the crash occurred around 5:04 p.m. on September 5, at the intersection of Citrus Park Boulevard and Lawrence Road. Witnesses reported seeing a white Lexus swerving between lanes before sharply turning into the path of a southbound school bus. The impact damaged both vehicles — though the bus was only occupied by its driver — who was not injured.
The driver of the Lexus, identified as 38-year-old Megan Lee Champion, appeared lethargic and disoriented at the scene, according to the police report. Officers noted constricted pupils, glassy eyes, and slurred speech. Champion reportedly stumbled while exiting her vehicle and struggled to maintain balance. She denied drinking but refused to perform field sobriety tests and later resisted officers’ attempts to conduct them safely.
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Police say Champion became agitated and emotional, yelling at officers and attempting to bite one during her arrest. She also refused breath and urine tests at the DUI testing facility and declined to sign her citation.
Champion was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail for DUI involving property damage, DUI with a minor passenger, and willfully refusing to sign and accept a traffic summons.
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Mother allegedly drove drunk with child in passenger seat, crashed into school bus
by WKRCSat, September 13, 2025 at 1:36 PM
A mother allegedly crashed into a school bus while driving under the influence with her 11-year-old daughter sitting in the passenger seat. (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)
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PALM BEACH, Fla. (WKRC) – A mother allegedly crashed into a school bus while driving under the influence with her 11-year-old daughter sitting in the passenger seat.
According to an affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, officers were dispatched to an intersection at 5:04 p.m. on September 5 for a report of a “vehicle accident.” Furthermore, the 911 caller reportedly said they “believed that the person driving the Lexus appeared intoxicated.”
The officer that wrote the affidavit said that he noticed a school bus “with damage on the left rear side” and a white Lexus NS with “damage on the front bumper and multiple airbags deployed.” The Lexus was driven by 38-year-old Megan Lee Champion, who was still sitting in the driver’s seat with her 11-year-old daughter seated next to her, authorities said. The school bus was only occupied by the driver.
“I made contact with Champion and asked her if she was ok when I observed Champion appear drowsy, lethargic, glassy eyes, her pupils were extremely constricted and she seemed like she was going to fall asleep,” the affidavit read.
A witness reportedly told police that she was driving behind the Lexus at the moment of the crash and for some time leading up to it.
“The witness stated she observed the vehicle traveling… at a slow speed and swerving several times between two lanes prior to the accident,” the affidavit read. “The witness said the white Lexus then stopped at the intersection and made a sharp left turn at the intersection and struck the left side of the yellow school bus that was travelling southbound… The witness said the driver of the Lexus appeared to be impaired.”
Champion allegedly had no explanation about what happened to cause the crash and stumbled, swayed back and forth, and slurred her speech when confronted by the officer again. She claimed she had nothing to drink that day, but the reporting officer said he smelled alcohol on her breath. Champion could also not provide a home address, per the affidavit.
When officers attempted to perform a sobriety test on Champion she allegedly nearly ran into traffic and did not follow directions, resulting in her arrest.
Champion was charged with DUI causing property damage, DUI while driving a person under the age of 18, and refusing to accept or sign a citation.
‘Denied having anything to drink’: Florida woman crashes into school bus with 11-year-old daughter in passenger seat, police say
Inset: Megan Lee Champion (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The intersection where Champion allegedly crashed into a school bus (Google Maps).
A Florida woman has been arrested after allegedly crashing into a school bus with her 11-year-old daughter in the front passenger seat of her car,.
Megan Lee Champion, 38, stands accused of one count each of DUI causing property damage, DUI while driving with a person under the age of 18 in the vehicle, and refusing to accept or sign a citation, according to Palm Beach County court and jail records.
The incident occurred Sept. 5 at the intersection of Citrus Park Boulevard and Lawrence Road in Boynton Beach — a medium-sized city located some 15 miles due south of West Palm Beach.
Officers with the Boynton Beach Police Department arrived on the scene just after 5 p.m. in response to a 911 call about a traffic accident where “the person driving the Lexus appeared intoxicated,” according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Law&Crime.
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An officer described seeing a “Palm Beach County yellow school bus with damage on the left rear side.” The nearby Lexus had damage to its front bumper and both airbags deployed, the affidavit says.
At the scene, Champion and her daughter were both still in the car, police said.
“I made contact with Champion and asked her if she was ok,” an officer wrote in the charging document. “I observed Champion appear drowsy, lethargic, glassy eyes, her pupils were extremely constricted and she seemed like she was going to fall asleep.”
A witness told law enforcement that she was traveling behind the Lexus at the time of the crash – and for some time prior – while going north on Lawrence, according to police. The witness said she observed the Lexus driving slowly and repeatedly swerving between two lanes for a while. Then, the white Lexus stopped at the intersection in question, “made a sharp left turn,” and collided with the school bus, which was heading south, the witness said.
A second witness — who was two cars back and also heading north — provided a substantially similar story about the slow, swerving Lexus and the left turn into the yellow school bus, police said.
The bus, as it turns out, had only the driver aboard and did not have any passengers at the time, police made sure to note.
Then, investigators turned to Champion herself.
“I approached Champion again and asked her what happened,” the officer went on. “Champion was unable to provide a clear explanation related to the crash.”
As the defendant left her vehicle, she allegedly “stumbled,” was “unable to maintain her balance,” and began “swaying back and forth,” police say.
But the allegedly telltale indicators did not end there.
“I asked Champion what she had to drink and she had slurred speech and denied having anything to drink,” the affidavit continues. “I smelled an unknown odor of alcohol coming [from] her mouth. Champion seemed disoriented and could not inform me of her home address when I asked her. She stated she takes medication for blood pressure. Champion was agitated, emotional and would not comply or answer the questions that were asked of her.”
After being asked to perform field sobriety tests, Champion allegedly agreed at first before apparently changing her mind, police say.
After one attempt, the defendant allegedly “continued to be agitated, almost ran into traffic and refused to follow direction she was given.” So, police determined she would be partaking in field sobriety tests and decided to arrest her. Then, the defendant allegedly tried “to bite” an officer as she was being placed in the back of a patrol car.
Later, at a local DUI testing facility, Champion declined to submit to either breathalyzer or urinalysis tests to determine her blood alcohol level, according to the charging document.
The defendant was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and made bond the next day. She is slated to appear in court on Sept. 22.
