A man who was supposed to substitute teach at a Muskego elementary school was arrested and charged after staff called police to say he might be intoxicated.
Christopher G. Rias, 30, was charged Oct. 31 in Waukesha County Circuit Court with fourth-offense driving while under the influence, a felony, and bail jumping, a misdemeanor.
If convicted of the OWI charge, Rias could be sentenced to up to six years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both. The bail jumping charge carries a sentence of up to nine months in prison, a $10,000 fine or both, according to the criminal complaint.
Rias made his initial court appearance Oct. 31, where court commissioner David Herring set a cash bond of $10,000, according to online court records. As of the morning of Nov. 5, Rias remained in Waukesha County Jail.
Rias is scheduled for a Nov. 13 preliminary hearing, online court records showed. Mark Powers, who’s listed in online court records as Rias’ attorney, was not immediately available when a reporter called his law office.
School resource officer investigated tip that Rias had been drinking
At about 11:10 a.m. Oct. 30, a school resource officer investigated a staff complaint that Rias, who was serving as a substitute gym teacher that day, might be intoxicated.
The officer found that Rias had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and smelled of intoxicants. When questioned, Rias said he had taken 10 mg of melatonin the previous night but denied taking anything else. In response to the officer’s questioning, Rias said he hadn’t been drinking “a lot” the previous night.
A preliminary breath test showed Rias had a blood alcohol content of 0.36, more than four times the 0.08 legal limit to drive.
Rias denied drinking alcohol while at school and said he had received a ride that morning from a friend. But security footage showed Rias drive up to the school alone at about 8:20 a.m. After getting out of the car, Rias almost fell two times, failed to walk in a straight line and swayed with each step, the complaint said.
Police arrested Rias after discovering he had an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on a third-offense OWI charge, the complaint said.
At the Muskego Police Department, Rias said he had stopped drinking at 1:30 a.m. that morning and did not drink any alcohol since arriving at the school. He failed three field sobriety tests and refused to complete an alphabet test. He was taken to Waukesha Memorial Hospital for a blood draw, the complaint said.
Rias has two prior OWI convictions, in 2019 and in February. He was charged with third-offense OWI on Oct. 21, online court records showed.
School district responds to allegations
In an Oct. 30 letter to parents, Bay Lane Elementary School principal Robin Schrot said the school contacted Kelly Services, the agency that provides the district with substitute teachers, to ask for a an accounting of its screening and oversight processes.
“We are, as always, incredibly thankful for our staff and community members who ‘see something and say something,'” Schrot wrote. “This vigilance allowed us to address the situation quickly and decisively. Please be assured that we are taking every measure to ensure that all personnel working with our students meet the highest standards of safety and professionalism.
In an emailed statement, Kelly Services’ public relations director Danielle Nixon said the company takes seriously all reports of inappropriate behavior by its teachers. She said the company is cooperating with the district and authorities. Rias has been removed from all assignments pending the investigation’s outcome, she said.
“Our screening procedures comply with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s rigorous standards and include comprehensive background and fingerprint checks. In addition to state standards, our vetting system strictly adheres to all district requirements, ensuring we maintain the highest safety standards. We remain committed to providing a secure and productive educational environment for all students,” Nixon said.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Substitute teacher arrested at Muskego school, charged with fourth OWI
Reporting by Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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