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Police: Bus driver accused of sexual abuse may have had another bus route

Posted at 7:21 PM, May 14, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-15 00:05:31-04

DRAPER, Utah -- Draper Police are investigating whether a bus driver, who is already under investigation for sexual abuse in Sandy, may have had an additional bus route in Draper.

According to Sandy Police the bus driver, who has since resigned from his job, had a bus route to and from Altara Elementary School. Draper Police have since received reports that the same bus driver may have a route to and from Draper Park Middle School.

Both schools are part of the Canyons School District.

"We need to know everything about our children, and everything that's going on," said Traci Snow, whose granddaughter attends Draper Park Middle School.

"It is really scary to think it's the same bus driver from Altara Elementary School, my other two granddaughters go to that school," Snow said.

Snow said the only people driving her granddaughter to school are her own parents.

"I mean they are strangers, and our children want to trust them, and they drive them to and from school, but they are really just strangers," Snow said.

Alison Parkinson has a son at Draper Middle School. She said she's fed up with the bus system.

"I just think the whole system is fundamentally flawed, to expect one adult to be in charge of all those people and drive safely," Parkinson said.

Parents do have mixed reaction, regarding how the school district is or is not alerting parents about the bus driver and the investigation.

"I think these things are new, they are allegations, they need to understand what's going on I think the school district does a great job of keeping us informed," Parkinson said.

Some parents were not as satisfied with the district.

"I'm disappointed that you're standing in my front yard right now telling me this for the first time, there should be a memo coming home," said Terry Robinett.

“This is an active police investigation and it is they who need to be in contact with, when police are investigating the last thing we want to do is compromise their work," said Jennifer Tommer-Cook of the Canyons School District

Robinett lives a block away from the middle school. He said he's using this latest information as a learning lesson.

"Is it going to teach me more ways to prepare my daughter to look for these types of issues and report what she has seen, absolutely," Robinett said.

Canyons School District said if any parents have any questions or concerns to please contact them and they will speak to families individually.

At this point no charges have been filed against the bus driver.