Spokane school board member arrested on drunken driving, hit-and-run charges

Spokane Public Schools board member Paul Schneider was arrested in late June on suspicion of driving drunk and hitting multiple vehicles, according to court documents.

No one was injured, according to the documents.

Schneider, 42, was jailed early in the morning on June 22. He was released the same day and pleaded not guilty.

School board President Deana Brower said Schneider is on medical leave for eight weeks. She declined to comment further.

Schneider declined to comment and referred all questions to his attorney Chris Bugbee.

“This is an obviously very unfortunate circumstance for Mr. Schneider and results from some very private, personal issues,” Bugbee said.

Schneider is dealing with the issues “immediately and to the fullest extent,” Bugbee said.

According to court documents, two incidents led to Schneider’s arrest. The first reports that at about 9:02 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, Schneider was cited for an incident near the intersection of Rockwood and Southeast boulevards. The listed violations are a DUI and a hit-and-run involving an attended vehicle.

Later, at 10:38 p.m. at 200 N. Bernard St., Schneider was cited in a hit-and-run involving an unattended vehicle. Schneider was arrested and sent to the Spokane County jail at 12:51 a.m. on June 22.

Schneider has had alcohol counseling in the past, according to court documents.

The Spokane Public School district offices are located at 200 N. Bernard St. A special meeting of the board of directors – of which Schneider is a member – was scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on the date of the alleged incident.

Schneider was absent for a vote during a June 28 regular board meeting on whether to move sixth-graders into middle school.

Schneider was elected to the board in 2015 and is a teacher at University High School in the Central Valley School District. Bugbee highlighted the work Schneider has done, both as an educator and as an elected official.

“He’s been a very positive contributing member to our community,” he said. “And he hopes to continue to do so.”

Schneider is attempting to unseat Washington state Sen. Michael Baumgartner in the 6th District race in the fall of 2018.