CORAL GABLES, Fla. — A University of Miami shuttle bus driver was arrested Monday afternoon after police say he caused a crash while allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
Coral Gables police said Timothy Kowalewski, 45, of Tamarac, was taken into custody just before 3:30 p.m. near the 300 block of U.S. 1.
They said a responding officer found Kowalewski sitting in the driver’s seat and requested fire rescue personnel after noticing he was “sweating profusely.”
After being medically cleared, Kowalewski told officers he did not remember the crash, his arrest report stated.
The report also noted that officers observed Kowalewski with red, watery eyes, slurred speech, and noted that he was “unsteady on his feet.”
Authorities said Kowalewski refused to perform field sobriety exercises or provide a breath sample, prompting his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
They said he was taken to Jackson West Medical Center for medical clearance before being transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for booking.
Jail records show he was arrested on a DUI charge, two counts of DUI causing property damage, and refusal to submit to a breath test while driving with a suspended license.
Kowalewski did not appear as an inmate on the Miami-Dade Corrections’ website after posting a $3,500 bond Tuesday morning.
UM sent Local 10 a statement Tuesday regarding the arrest of Kowalewski.
“The incident involving a University of Miami campus shuttle is under further investigation by the Coral Gables Police Department,” the statement read. “The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and the broader University community remains our top priority.”
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