MAHONING COUNTY Austintown teacher pleads innocent to a DUI charge

The long-time teacher remains on administrative leave from school.
AUSTINTOWN -- A Lloyd Elementary School teacher has pleaded innocent to DUI charge after being accused of running into a school bus last month.
Beth M. Kleja, 50, appeared Monday with her legal counsel, Atty. Thomas Zena, before Judge David D'Apolito of Mahoning County Court here.
She returns to court for another hearing Monday.
Shortly after 8 a.m. April 20, the vehicle Kleja was driving struck the rear of a bus that was unloading children at Lloyd Elementary School where Kleja teaches second grade. No one was injured and only minor damage was done to both vehicles.
Kleja has been a township school teacher since 1979. She was placed on paid administrative leave the day of the accident, pending the outcome of the case and an investigation conducted by the school district.
After the investigations conclude, the school district will determine what action to take. District officials have declined to specify possible actions.
Kleja failed a field sobriety test the morning of the accident. A blood test showed her blood-alcohol level at 0.172, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. She has no prior DUI offenses, police have said.