Lee Co. driver’s ed teacher arrested, charged with DUI

ALVA, Fla.- A Riverdale High School teacher is now facing DUI charges after an overnight crash. The irony? He teaches drivers education.

Richard Bull, 51, is currently out of jail on bond.

Tuesday night, witnesses say Bull was driving next to the McDonald’s on State Road 80 in Alva, when he jumped a curb and drove his car into a ditch of the fast food parking lot.

In his arrest report, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office states Bull’s blood alcohol level was almost twice the legal limit, at .159.

Dominic Russ told WINK News he witnessed the whole thing, and was there when deputies arrested Bull.

“That guy was something else. He was really drunk though.”

He said Bull told Lee County deputies someone else was driving his truck. The arrest report confirms he told deputies a man named “Josh” was driving his truck, but took off before deputies arrived on scene.

“He was driving,” said Russ. “He was just really that drunk he thought somebody else was driving the truck.”

A current Riverdale student, Destiny, said she took Bull’s drivers ed class last year.

“He was a good teacher. He always told me don’t drink and drive. Drive safe. You’ll have consequences if you don’t.”

The Lee County School District says getting a DUI does not disqualify him from teaching, but a spokesperson tells WINK News:

“Unique to this situation is the fact that Mr. Bull also teaches driver’s education. As such, it is likely that he will be reassigned in the very near future. “

Both of Bull’s former students agreed he was well respected at Riverdale High, and that this is an ironic situation.

“[He was a] good guy, everybody liked him.” said Russ. “Just to see this happen. It was something to see, it was a real shocker. “