LITTLE ROCK -- A convicted felon who drove a school bus into a tree,
injuring 17, was in jail on a probation violation Wednesday after testing
positive for cocaine and marijuana use.

State parole officials said Wednesday their investigators found evidence of
drug use by Mark Marbley, 48, but state police said the driver did not
appear impaired at the time of Monday's accident.

Marbley was hired in October to drive a bus for the Pulaski County Special
School District and was allowed to work pending the satisfactory completion
of a background check. School officials were not aware he was a convicted
felon.

School district officials said Wednesday they would change district policy
in order to speed up background checks. The district said it would begin
requesting background checks immediately upon hiring a new employee instead
of waiting until after the person completed a 30-day probation period.

Arkansas State Police said the results of Marbley's background check were
mailed to the Department of Education on Nov. 28 or Nov. 29. The request
for Marbley's background check was received by state police on Nov. 19 or
Nov. 20, according to police records.