A teacher at Granite Falls Elementary School was removed from the classroom Thursday for her involvement in a hit-and-run incident involving alcohol and failure to report the incident to proper school officials.

Susan Clark Mackie, 55, is a teacher in the exceptional children's department at Granite Falls Elementary School. She was charged with hit-and-run with property damage and driving while impaired in Hickory early Sunday morning, but she did not notify GFES Principal Andrew Miller of the incident after it occurred, as is policy of the Caldwell County School Board.

"A DUI is, in itself, a serious issue," Caldwell Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Stone said. "Nevertheless, the employee has an obligation to immediately notify the administrator of such an incident. It's my understanding it was not reported until it came out in the (Hickory Daily Record) (Thursday)."

Mackie has been in the classroom since the incident, but Stone indicated she was removed from the school Thursday and faces disciplinary action from the school system.

"That is a serious infraction for us," he said. "We should have been notified by the employee immediately. Had we known, she would have been removed from the classroom Monday."

Stone said Mackie would meet with members of the school system's human resources department, and the appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against her, though he could not elaborate on what that punishment may be.

"She did not tell us, and that's another disciplinary issue for us," Stone said. "She will be disciplined."

Stone added that the school system makes counseling available for employees involved in such matters.

According to the report from Hickory Police Department, Mackie, of 114 Clover Meadow Lane, Granite Falls, was driving a 2007 Honda CRV north in the left turn lane on 8th Street Drive SE, Hickory (Lenoir-Rhyne Boulevard), attempting to make a left turn on to Interstate 40 westbound around 1 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.

A 1999 Ford driven by Jeriemy Deon Wittenburg, 39, of 19 Blairs Landing Road, Pomaria, S.C., was traveling south on L-R Boulevard toward U.S. 70.

The report shows that Mackie failed to yield the right of way and turned into the Ford, striking it in the front, left quarterpanel, causing damage to both vehicles. According to the report, Mackie was traveling 35 mph when her car struck the Ford, which was traveling at 45 mph.

But Mackie did not stop at the scene, continuing down the ramp to I-40. A witness traveling behind Mackie followed her as she left the scene and contacted Hickory Police Department to report the hit-and-run incident.

"She was drunk apparently," said witness Johnathan Buchanan. "She just turned into the car and kept going."

Mackie was stopped a short time later, at 12th Street SW, Hickory, near Bonita Furniture Galleries, and charged with driving while impaired and hit-and-run with property damage.

Mackie's vehicle was impounded by Hickory Wrecker Storage.

She appeared before the magistrate in Catawba County and was released on a written promise to appear. Mackie has an appearance in Catawba County District Court Dec. 22.

According to the police report, there was an estimated $1,500 worth of damage done to each vehicle in the crash.