ALBANY – The randy former upstate Catholic-school teacher accused of bedding her students was back in jail yesterday after being busted for drunken driving.
Albany County Court Judge Stephen Herrick revoked Sandra “Beth” Geisel’s $20,000 bail for the sex charges after finding that she violated the conditions of her release.
Wearing a tight pink blouse, jeans and sandals, Geisel, 42, was taken to Albany County Jail, where she was placed on a suicide watch and ordered to undergo an immediate psychological evaluation.
Her lawyer, Donald Kinsella, reiterated previous statements that she has an alcohol problem for which she was being treated.
Kinsella did not object to suicide watch, asking reporters later, “If you were in her circumstances, what would you be thinking about?”
Geisel, according to law-enforcement authorities, was stopped after cutting off a sheriff’s deputy at about 8:30 a.m.
A Breathalyzer showed her with a blood-alcohol level of .13, far above the .08 legal limit, officials said.
At her arraignment yesterday, Geisel, who now lists her occupation as “writer” and her religion as “Buddhist,” pleaded not guilty in Albany City Court.
It was the second time since December that the troubled Geisel has been busted for DWI. She pleaded guilty to a reduced charge after the first time in December.
Geisel, a mother of four and estranged wife of a prominent Albany-area bank president, had spent one day in jail after being charged on Aug. 1 with two counts of rape and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly sleeping with a 16-year-old student – once at her home and once at a school football field press box.
The former teacher, who is facing a possible third count for another encounter with the boy, is also said to have slept with at least three 17-year-old boys, but wasn’t charged because they were the legal age of consent.
Geisel was fired from Christian Brothers Academy after police allegedly found her romping with a 17-year-old student in a parked car.
Albany County District Attorney David Soares said in a statement that the latest arrest proves Geisel “remains a threat to our community.”
“The eyes of the world are watching this drama unfold, and once again, she disregards the laws of our state, the standards of our community, and the rules imposed by our courts,” Soares said. “She will be held accountable.”