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A Wisconsin school bus driver is on trial, accused of sexually assaulting young girls on his route. Thomas Felser, 63, faces 11 felony charges, including first-degree sexual assault of a child.The jury trial began Monday. A jury of 14 was seated, including seven men and seven women, two of whom will be alternates.In opening arguments, the state pointed to video evidence collected from Felser’s bus, saying it proves the accusations against him. “This case is about a bus driver who was entrusted with the safety of the students. And instead of getting them safely to their destination, he preyed upon them,” Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Vivien Morris said.Felser’s defense attorney set out to poke holes in the state’s evidence. “The videos in this case are, most of them are ambiguous, or just flat out not showing what the police believe they show,” defense attorney Craig Powell said.The first surveillance video was shown in court Monday. The mother of a 6-year-old victim said she became concerned after tracking her daughter’s bus app, noticing the bus was staying in one location. She drove to the bus’s location and found her daughter alone on the bus with Felser. “I was just talking to her about her day a little bit. Sometimes we do that,” Felser said in the video.The video shows Felser and the young girl walking to the front of the bus, where her mom picks her up. The mother said she called 911 minutes after the exchange.”He was like a deer in headlights. When he looked up, you could tell his eyes were wide and he took a deep sigh and, to me, he was scared,” the mother of the victim said.She said her daughter also appeared to be scared.”I could see her fear. I could physically see her heart. When I looked through my rearview mirror, I could see her chest, and it was beating, and I had strong suspicions that something had gone on, I didn’t know to what extent,” the mother said.Pewaukee police obtained weeks of video evidence from the bus. Prosecutors say the surveillance video shows Felser sexually assaulting four girls on his bus. One of the victims is just 4 years old.Monday, the state also called two Pewaukee police officers to the witness stand, and a worker for GO Riteway, the bus company Felser worked for. GO Riteway suspended Felser immediately following his arrest. Felser was a teacher in the school district for 37 years before becoming a bus driver. He taught at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School.The trial is expected to last until Friday.
A Wisconsin school bus driver is on trial, accused of sexually assaulting young girls on his route. Thomas Felser, 63, faces 11 felony charges, including first-degree sexual assault of a child.
The jury trial began Monday. A jury of 14 was seated, including seven men and seven women, two of whom will be alternates.
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In opening arguments, the state pointed to video evidence collected from Felser’s bus, saying it proves the accusations against him.
“This case is about a bus driver who was entrusted with the safety of the students. And instead of getting them safely to their destination, he preyed upon them,” Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Vivien Morris said.
Felser’s defense attorney set out to poke holes in the state’s evidence.
“The videos in this case are, most of them are ambiguous, or just flat out not showing what the police believe they show,” defense attorney Craig Powell said.
The first surveillance video was shown in court Monday.
The mother of a 6-year-old victim said she became concerned after tracking her daughter’s bus app, noticing the bus was staying in one location. She drove to the bus’s location and found her daughter alone on the bus with Felser.
“I was just talking to her about her day a little bit. Sometimes we do that,” Felser said in the video.
The video shows Felser and the young girl walking to the front of the bus, where her mom picks her up.
The mother said she called 911 minutes after the exchange.
“He was like a deer in headlights. When he looked up, you could tell his eyes were wide and he took a deep sigh and, to me, he was scared,” the mother of the victim said.
She said her daughter also appeared to be scared.
“I could see her fear. I could physically see her heart. When I looked through my rearview mirror, I could see her chest, and it was beating, and I had strong suspicions that something had gone on, I didn’t know to what extent,” the mother said.
Pewaukee police obtained weeks of video evidence from the bus. Prosecutors say the surveillance video shows Felser sexually assaulting four girls on his bus. One of the victims is just 4 years old.
Monday, the state also called two Pewaukee police officers to the witness stand, and a worker for GO Riteway, the bus company Felser worked for. GO Riteway suspended Felser immediately following his arrest.
Felser was a teacher in the school district for 37 years before becoming a bus driver. He taught at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School.
The trial is expected to last until Friday.
