FILE - Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen speaks at a rally opposing mask requirements in schools in front of the state capitol in Helena, Mont., on Oct. 1, 2021. Arntzen was cited on May 26, for illegally passing a school bus in a residential subdivision. She entered a no contest plea to the charge on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 was fined $100 and can have the citation removed from her driving record if she does not have any other driving violations for 60 days.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen on Wednesday entered the plea meaning that she did not not admit guilt but was not contesting the charge, according to Helena Municipal Court records.for illegally passing the bus in a residential subdivision on the morning of May 19. She said she does not recall the incident, but the East Helena Public Schools bus driver recognized her and wrote down the license plate of the pickup truck that passed the bus, according to police reports. The school district also gave Helena police two photos from the school bus video camera showing the incident.
Helena Municipal Court Judge Anne Peterson suspended $400 of the $500 fine and ordered that Arntzen could have the citation removed from her driving record if she has no traffic violations over the next two months, court documents said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.