A former Pewaukee school bus driver is facing additional sexual assault charges, compounding an already grave situation involving young children entrusted to his care. According to WTMJ, 62-year-old Thomas Felser pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13 as well as two additional counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer. These charges come after a second victim was identified by prosecutors in a criminal complaint filed yesterday.
Initially charged on May 16 with one count of repeated sexual assault of a child and three counts of sexual misconduct, related to a 6-year-old victim, Felser is sustained by a $350,000 cash bond, with a scheduled bail hearing on June 2 at 10:30 a.m. The new allegations, as reported by WISN, involve disturbing footage captured by Go Riteway Bus Co.'s surveillance system showing Felser engaging inappropriately with a 5-year-old girl during April and May 2025.
The Pewaukee Police Department, aided by said footage, asserts that Felser played a "monster" game to isolate children at the back of the bus, where he would then commit the alleged assaults, as mentioned on WISN. Specific to the incident from May, Felser is accused of reaching under the girl's skirt as she boarded the bus, which the surveillance video appears to corroborate. Despite these harrowing new charges, Felser waived his preliminary hearing rights.
Adding to the severity of the case, in an amended criminal complaint detailed by GMToday, prosecutors added two felony counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer and another of first-degree sexual assault of a child. Peculiarly including a reference to himself as "daddy," Felser now faces the possibility of over 123 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Other incidents outlined in the complaint highlight further indecent touching that occurred on multiple occasions in April.
Felser, who transitioned to driving a school bus after 37 years as a teacher in the school district, both at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School, was immediately suspended by Go Riteway Bus Co. following his arrest. The next court appearance for Felser is slated for next week as the community and the affected families grapple with the ramifications of these allegations.
