More details emerge on school bus driver incident in Linn County

Hunter
01/08/20

More details have emerged with the case of a former College Community School District bus driver who has been charged with false imprisonment and sexual exploitation by a school employee after an incident on a morning route last week.

The Gazette reports that the incident was recorded by bus security video, and shows 57 year-old Thomas Alan Williams attempting to assault a 10 year old girl.

According to the complaint, Williams was driving students to school in Cedar Rapids, and told the student to stay aboard the school bus upon arrival at a school.

He allegedly parked in a lot on the district campus, pulled the child onto his lap and attempted to assault her. She pulled away and fled the scene.

As reported previously, the school district conducted an immediate investigation and relived Williams of his duties pending termination. Cedar Rapids Police arrested Williams on Monday.

Williams reportedly has been employed by the district since 1999, and the school district performs background checks on new hires. Checks on existing employees are run every five years, and no criminal issues were discovered during Williams’ last background check in April of 2018.

Williams faces up to three years in prison if convicted on charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee and false imprisonment.