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School Bus Driver Used Bus to Buy and Deliver Heroin: Police

Garfield Howell was spotted on several occasions using the company-issued school bus to purchase and deliver heroin

A Connecticut school bus driver is accused of using a school bus to buy and deliver heroin, police said.

The Stratford Police Narcotics Vice and Intelligence Unit identified 29-year-old Garfield Howell, of Stratford, as a suspected heroin dealer and was put under surveillance. Howell is also a school bus driver for We Transport, a charter bus company that provides transportation for students in the Bridgeport Public Schools district. 

Police said during a months-long investigation that Howell was spotted on several occasions using the company-issued school bus to purchase and deliver heroin.

The suspected drug transactions were made after he dropped off all of his passengers, and children were not present when he was dropping off or picking up drugs, Stratford Police Capt. Frank Eannotti said.

Police served a search warrant Thursday at a Stratford home and found about 195 grams of heroin. Howell was charged with four counts of sale of a narcotics, two counts of conspiracy to sell narcotics and risk of injury to a minor. 

NBC Connecticut reached out to We Transport's headquarters in New York, but a company employee said they had no comment. A manager from the bus company's local terminal in Bridgeport says they are investigating the allegations. 

Howell’s bail was set at $100,000. He is scheduled to appear in court later this month. He does not have an attorney who can comment on the charges.

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