NEW BEDFORD A North Dartmouth man was arrested in New Bedford on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 21, and charged with operating under the influence of liquor after a crash with a school bus, New Bedford police said in an announcement Friday, Oct. 23, as reported by NBC 10 News. All 15 children on the bus were sent to the hospital as a precaution, and no serious injuries were reported, police said, according to the station.
Police arrested Shaun Healy of North Dartmouth at 3:55 p.m. at 500 Hathaway Road, according to the department's arrest log for Oct. 21. The log shows three charges: operating under the influence of liquor or with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or more, a traffic charge the log lists as failure to yield at an intersection or improper turn, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. It shows the case, 26-1780-AR, as open.
The crash
In the Friday announcement, police said Healy pulled out of a parking lot in front of the bus and the bus driver was unable to stop, the station reported.
Penalties under state law
Operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or more, or while under the influence of liquor, is punishable by a fine of $500 to $5,000, up to 2 1/2 years of imprisonment, or both, under Chapter 90, Section 24 of the state's General Laws. The law applies on public roads and in places open to the public.
A person convicted of OUI, placed on probation for it, or granted a continuance without a finding also owes a $250 assessment that a court cannot reduce or waive, and penalties rise for anyone with an earlier OUI conviction, the law says. Negligent operation, under Section 24(2)(a), means driving negligently so that the lives or safety of the public might be endangered, and it carries a fine of $20 to $200, two weeks to two years of imprisonment, or both, plus its own $250 assessment on conviction.
The charges are accusations, and Healy is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What happens next
South Coast 360 will add the arraignment date and any response from Healy or a lawyer for him, along with the department's full account of the crash, when they are available.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
The arrest time, place, name, hometown and the three charges come from the New Bedford Police Department's own arrest log for Oct. 21, which we read on Oct. 24. How the crash happened, the 15 children and the injury report are the department's account from its Friday announcement, as a television newsroom reported it. The penalties come from the text of state law on the Legislature's website. We left out the driver's home address. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar. Not heard: Healy or any lawyer for him.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (4)
- New Bedford Police Department, Arrest Status Report, Oct. 21, 2026 (generated Oct. 22, 7:40 a.m.)Case 26-1780-AR: arrest at 3:55 p.m. Oct. 21 at 500 Hathaway Road, the three charges, the name and hometown, status open. Read Oct. 24, 2026.
- New Bedford Police Department, police logs pageIndex of the daily arrest and incident logs; the Oct. 21 incident log was also read. Read Oct. 24, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 24OUI penalty and the $250 assessment, section 24(1)(a)(1); negligent operation, its penalty and its $250 assessment, section 24(2)(a). Read Oct. 24, 2026.
- Also reported by: NBC 10 News.