Van driver allegedly drove drunk when bringing home student from Perkins School for the Blind

By Melissa M. Werthmann, Globe Correspondent

A school van driver was arrested after he allegedly drove drunk while bringing a 15-year-old student home from Perkins School for the Blind Wednesday, Clinton police said.

Michael Tantillo, a 41-year-old school van driver, was supposed to pick up the blind student from the school in Watertown and bring him to his home in Clinton, said Police Chief Mark Laverdure.

The boy’s parents called police when their son did not return home at the usual time.

Clinton police called Tantillo multiple times but he either hung up or ignored the calls, Laverdure said.

Officers were able to track Tantillo’s phone and determined his location. Police waited at the student’s home for Tantillo to arrive and arrested him there, Laverdure said.

Tantillo appeared intoxicated, he said.

Tantillo was charged with kidnapping, operating under the influence of liquor, reckless endangerment of a child, and child endangerment while operating under the influence of liquor, according to a worker at the Clinton District Court clerk’s office.

Tantillo was arraigned Thursday morning and a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. He is being held at the Worcester County House of Correction on $50,000 cash bail, according to the clerk’s office. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Nov. 19.

Melissa Werthmann can be reached at melissa.werthmann@globe.com.