LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A former Lake County school bus driver is accused of touching two girls while driving his route, according to the sheriff’s office.
William Wassey, 71, was arrested on Friday, July 23 in Orange County, where he lives, records show.
Investigators said they began investigating Wassey on June 1. Two victims — girls who are 10 and 9 years old respectively — reported that Wassey had touched them inappropriately while they rode the bus, according to deputies.
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The victims were interviewed about their experiences and both recounted being called to the front of the bus where Wassey would put his hands on the girls while driving, records show.
Detectives said they reviewed the surveillance video from Wassey’s bus from May 27 and 28. The video, records show, backed up the victim’s accounts of what happened — with one girl being called to the front of the bus eight times on one day and the other girl being called to the front of the seven times on the following day.
When questioned Wassey denied the accusations and said that he had recently resigned from his bus driving job for health reasons.
He faces charges of lewd and lascivious conduct.