CHANDLER, Ariz. — Lillie Diel couldn't believe it when she got the call. Her husband Bryan Diel, a Hamilton High School bus driver in Chandler, was arrested Thursday for DUI after police say he ran a red light with his bus and failed to stop for officers, all while students were on board.
"He loves being a bus driver," Lillie Diel shared. "And he doesn’t want anybody to get hurt."
But after school Thursday, Chandler police said he ran a red light a block from Hamilton High School. When the officer tried to pull him over, he kept going. Police were finally able to stop him about 3 miles down the road at Arizona Avenue and Frye Road when another officer was able to pull in front of the bus.
The Chandler Unified School District said nine students were on the bus at the time.
"I’m so sorry for the kids if they were scared," Lillie Diel shared. "I’m so sorry for the parents. This is from my husband."
Police said Bryan Diel was taken to the hospital from the scene. And Friday morning, she got another worrisome phone call.
"The neurologist called me an hour ago," she said in an interview Friday morning. "Said they found a brain tumor behind his ear and that was causing him to have seizures, and he said when he drove the bus, the doctors suspect he had a seizure when he ran the light."
The news surprised the family. Lillie Diel said she and her husband had no idea he could have had a tumor.
"Over the months he has been saying that his heads been hurting and his ear," she said. "He thought it was his sinuses."
Chandler police don’t believe alcohol is involved, but officers did do a blood test. They’re waiting on results from the DPS lab to rule out any drugs, which could take three to eight months, according to Chandler police. He's been arrested for DUI and failure to stop but Chandler police said no charges have been filed.
CUSD sent an email to district families Thursday night letting them know what happened. No one was hurt and the district said it sent another driver to take the students home.
"I just thank god that he is okay," Lillie Diel shared. "And that the kids are okay."
CUSD said Bryan Diel's been with the district since 2014 and never had any problems before this. Diel will be on leave as police and the district investigate.
Diel's expected to be okay, too, according to his wife.
"Instead of judging, you need to find out the whole story," she added.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.