A 43-year-old Virginia Beach woman was arrested earlier this month after she allegedly drove into man and three children walking to a school bus stop. She is charged with three counts of maiming as a result of driving while intoxicated; driving under the influence, second offense; and reckless passing of a school bus.

According to police reports, the alleged drunk driving accident occurred shortly after 7:30 a.m. on January 19. The bus was traveling north on Paladin Drive in Virginia Beach when it stopped at Chester Street to pick up children.

The bus driver pulled up to the intersection and put out the safety gate, police say. As the bus was sitting there, the woman was allegedly driving east on Chester Street in a pickup truck.

Witnesses say the woman swerved around the front of the bus and ran off the road into the front yard of the house across the street. She hit the man and his three children as they walked down their driveway to the bus stop. A neighbor witnessed the car accident and called 911.

Following the accident, a 5-year-old boy is in critical condition, police say. A neighbor performed CPR on him until paramedics arrived. He was transported to Sentara Virginia Beach General. Later, Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance flew him to Norfolk General.

A 7-year-old child was taken to Sentra Norfolk General Hospital. Police say that the child is in stable condition. Emergency workers transported the father and a 7-year-old child to Virginia Beach General. Their injuries are not life threatening.

Neighbors say the 43-year-old woman was stumbling and disoriented following the accident. According to court records, she has been convicted of several traffic violations in the last nine years. Her offenses include driving while intoxicated, driving on a revoked license, and speeding.

Source: The Virginian-Pilot, "Va. Beach woman charged after man, children struck," Elisabeth Hulette, Jan. 20, 2012