The Montana Supreme Court has suspended the law license of a 54-year-old Billings man who ran into a teenager with a school bus while driving under the influence of alcohol.
The Billings Gazette reports the high court issued the order Tuesday and directed the Office of Disciplinary Counsel to file a formal complaint against Timothy Whalen, a lawyer and former state legislator from Billings who also was a school bus driver.
Whalen hit a 15-year-old girl at a crosswalk on Sept. 25, 2009, leaving her with a broken leg. He briefly checked on her and returned to the scene after finishing his route. Police say Whalen's blood-alcohol level was 0.118 percent two hours after the 7:40 a.m. accident.
He pleaded guilty in August to felony charges of negligent vehicular assault and criminal endangerment and was sentenced to six years with the state Department of Corrections with 18 months suspended.
