Oklahoma 3rd grade teacher arrested for allegedly drinking on the job

A video released by police appears to show 3rd grade teacher Kimberly Coates blowing into a breathalyzer at three times the Oklahoma legal limit after being pulled from class. 

“I noticed Kimberly had red, watery eyes and a thick, slurred speech. Kimberly had a hard time completing sentences,” wrote the student resource officer (SRO) for the Perkins-Tryon Public School District (PTPSD) in the police report, according to the Stillwater News Press. 

Coates, 53, is seen on video denying that she had anything to drink that day, before the breath reading took place, according to the police video posted on the Fox News website.  

When confronted with the results, Coates claimed she has stayed up until 3 a.m. drinking half a box of red wine, said the Stillwater News Press. 

It was the school year’s very first day. 

She also claimed that she had taken anti-anxiety medication the previous night.  

The district’s superintendent, Doug Ogle, requested that the SRO administer the breathalyzer test to Coates, according to local KOCO News 5.  

“He (the SRO) determined that she was under the influence of alcohol, and she blew into a PBT and confirmed that she did have alcohol in her system,” said Perkins Police Sgt. Spencer Gedon, reported KOCO. “The school got on it fast. As soon as there was a concern about that teacher, they went into action and did what they needed to do, and they were doing everything they could to make sure everyone was safe at the school.” 

Ogle, in fact, helped lead the investigation.  

“You seem like you’re not the same person I talked to this morning,” Ogle told Coates when the teacher was confronted in the school office around 3 p.m., reported local KFOR News 4.  

Ogle discovered a cup when gathering up the teacher’s belonging that he said smelled like alcohol. 

“No more games, right? What is in that?” asked Ogle, indicating the cup, said KFOR.  

Coates told Ogle and the SRO that there was juice in the cup and simply smelled of wine that she drank the night before. 

“I asked Kimberly again how much she had to drink. Kimberly stated she drank some wine on her way to work this morning. Kimberly denied drinking any this afternoon,” the SRO wrote in the police report, said the Stillwater News Press. 

On the basis of the breathalyzer test, however, the police arrested Coates and transported her to the Payne County Jail. 

Coates could eventually face charges of public intoxication, said police, but no charges have yet been filed, according to KFOR.  

“The school district is conducting an internal investigation and cooperating with law enforcement,” said a statement by the district about the incident, reported local News 6 Tulsa.