Minnesota bus Driver Accused of Texting, Looking Up Jokes

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A Minneapolis-area school bus driver is accused of texting while driving and looking up jokes on her cellphone.

Thirty-nine-year-old Brenda Carsten is charged in Anoka County District Court with more than a dozen misdemeanor and gross-misdemeanor charges of child endangerment. Her first court appearance is June 6.

Authorities say the charges stem from video and audio taken on the bus in Blaine on Feb. 6 showing Carsten driving erratically and children moving around the bus while it was on the road.

Carsten allegedly had both hands off the steering wheel and was looking up ``your mama'' jokes on her phone. At one point, authorities say she handed the cellphone to a student to read the jokes over the bus intercom.

A phone number for Carsten could not be found.