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Pewaukee Bus Driver Convicted on 8 Counts in Assaults of Preschoolers

Prosecutors won convictions using bus video evidence alongside forensic interviews.

Overview

  • A Waukesha County jury found former driver and long-time teacher Thomas Felser guilty on eight of eleven felony charges and not guilty on three counts tied to school staff misconduct.
  • The charges involved girls ages 4 to 6 who rode his bus route, according to testimony presented at trial.
  • The probe expanded after a mother used a GPS app to find a parked bus, discovered her daughter alone with Felser, and reported it to police.
  • Police said surveillance from the bus showed children sitting on Felser's lap on an empty bus, and prosecutors walked jurors through screenshots from that video.
  • Sentencing is scheduled for July 24, and the case is fueling calls for stronger screening and oversight of school transportation staff.