Friday Harbor Elementary employee allegedly discovered drinking at work

At around 11:30 a.m. on May 15, a deputy was dispatched to Friday Harbor Elementary School to perform a breath test on an employee who was suspected of consuming alcohol.

According to the deputy’s report, the school superintendent and union representative were present for the test, which indicated the employee had a .165 alcohol level. When the deputy tested the beverage the employee had been drinking, it showed a .05 alcohol level.

According to San Juan County Sheriff Ron Krebs, it is legal to drive in Washington with a .08 alcohol level and below.

“This is definitely something that doesn’t happen every day,” said Krebs, who could not recall being asked to perform a sobriety test at an organization or business in the two and a half years of his tenure as sheriff.

Krebs said the incident is not a crime and the employee will not be charged. The school district’s policy is to not discuss personnel issues publicly, so officials chose not to comment.