A Pewaukee school bus driver has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault after allegations surfaced that he abused a 6-year-old girl on his bus. According to WISN, the driver, identified as 62-year-old Thomas Felser, is accused of committing these acts repeatedly over the course of eight months. The driver now faces charges that include repeated sexual assault of the same child and three counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer.
The mother of the 6-year-old used a GPS bus app to track her daughter's route on Tuesday last week and became concerned when the vehicle had not moved for over 10 minutes. When she went to the location, the mother found her daughter alone with Felser in the middle of the bus, and he was "super fast" to insist they were merely talking, TMJ4 reports.
As the situation became clearer, the mother said in a statement obtained by WISN, "I am here to reclaim my daughter's voice. That voice was silenced by this monster months ago. I am the mother of a 6-year-old little girl who suffered unimaginable things as she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Thomas Felser, her school bus driver."
Investigators found evidence of the abuse in bus surveillance footage, which depicted a troubling pattern of the driver sitting with the child alone while the bus was stationary, as FOX 6 reported. The abuse also reportedly included the suspect giving the child candy and asking her to conceal the lengthy drop-offs from her parents. Anyone with additional information to come forward and assist police with their ongoing investigation.
Felser's background as a long-time teacher prior to his role as a bus driver only adds to the severity of the accusations against him. He was an educator in the district for 37 years before becoming a bus driver, a position in which parents and students place significant trust. The girl involved reported to police, "Mr. Tom" would check the color of her underwear and touched her inappropriately, according to statements obtained by WISN.
Following the charges, Pewaukee police confirmed that Felser was immediately suspended from his job with Go Riteway, the bus company he drove for, which is cooperating with local law enforcement on the matter. A court commissioner set his bond at $350,000, and the investigation into these disturbing allegations is still active.
