‘Why on earth was he driving the bus?’: Neighbors shocked after party bus driver plows through Raleigh home, gets DWI charge

RALEIGH N.C. (WNCN) — The driver of a party bus that is charged with a DWI after crashing into a car, utility pole and into a 100-year-old home in a historic neighborhood near downtown Raleigh early Saturday morning is out on bond.

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“I heard this loud ka-bam and said, ‘ Oh crap, what happened?,’” a neighbor said.

One neighbor who wished to remain anonymous shared what she heard and saw right before she went to bed.

“It was pretty shocking, and of course the neighbors who were impacted by this were just horrified,” she said.

Court documents state the driver of the bus was 58-year-old Garry Kearse III, and that he was under the influence.

“Please don’t drive drunk for God’s sake,” a neighbor said.

Arrest records indicate other charges and citations against Kearse include:

• Felony injuring utility wires/fixture
• Injury to real property
• Failure to maintain lane control
• Possession of an open container of alcohol

Court documents also state that Kearse was driving with a revoked license after another DWI in April, where his blood alcohol content was a 0.23 — nearly triple the legal limit.

His license was revoked in early June.

“Why on earth was he driving the bus?” a neighbor said.

Kearse appeared in front of a judge Monday, and was granted bail.

He posted a $10,000 bond.

CBS 17 knocked on Kearse’s door Monday evening to learn why he was behind the wheel with a revoked license and under the influence, but nobody answered the door.

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The owner of a Triangle-based party bus business, Rachel Abbott, spoke to CBS 17 after the DWI arrest.

She said, “It’s very disappointing for the people who [are] running legitimate businesses, having insurance, having the proper inspections, the proper credentials, and operating professionally.

Her company, “The Rabbott,” is a separate party bus company with no affiliation to the wreck.

Abbott said a bus driver’s job is to make sure everyone gets to their final destination safely, including themselves.

“It is just completely unacceptable and willful recklessness to be doing that,” Abbott said.

Police said at the time of the crash, nobody was on the bus except for Kearse. CBS 17 is still working to learn at what point in the night Kearse began to allegedly drink.

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Kearse is set to be in court again at the end of the month.