The 61-year-old man is accused of molesting a 5-year-old girl over the span of a few months. He is facing 23 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in connection with the allegations. The incidents allegedly occurred from late February through April. The child is said to have told a relative about the sexual assault.
Once the allegations were made, more than 40 hours of surveillance footage from the bus were reviewed by police prior to sending the case to the prosecutor. The defense attorney says that he hasn’t seen the footage, but that it must be tested in court. After being placed on administrative leave in connection with the allegations, the bus driver opted to resign.
Despite his resignation, he maintains his innocence. He is being held on a $3 million cash-only bail. His attorney says that he will likely ask for lowered bail at future hearings.
The former bus driver’s attorney took an opportunity to remind the public that the man has only been accused of these crimes. He still has the right to defend himself in court against the serious charges. It is important that he present his defense in the most effective way possible because of the severity of the charges and the potential consequences he faces if he is convicted.
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune, “Former Utah school bus driver ‘hurt’ by accusations of sex abuse” Marissa Lang, May. 28, 2014