NEWPORT-A former Cocke County school bus driver, who was charged Monday with DUI and violation of the open container law, was released that same day on $5,000 bond.

Cheryl Ann Hembree, 39, of Parrottsville, was arrested by Sgt. Randy Cutshaw, CCHS school resource officer, shortly before time for her to begin her afternoon route transporting students home.

At the time of her arrest, Hembree was seated in a passenger seat of her bus, which was parked behind Newport Presbyterian Church on Hedrick Drive. Cutshaw reportedly acted on an anonymous tip that a school bus driver had stopped at a local market and purchased a large can of beer, then drove off in a school bus. There were no students on the bus at the time of Hembree's arrest.

For more details, please see the Thursday edition of the Newport Plain Talk.