Wisconsin school bus driver verdict reached in sexual assault trial
By Mariana La Roche, Amy Fleury
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WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Waukesha County jury reached a verdict in the trial of Thomas Felser, a 63-year-old former Pewaukee school bus driver accused of sexually assaulting multiple young girls on his route.
Felser was convicted on three counts of repeated sexual assault of the same child, one count of first-degree child sex assault and four counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or a volunteer.
He was found not guilty on three counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer.
Felser is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24. Given his age, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
“We are very satisfied with the jury’s verdict. We are thankful of the time and attention that the jury has taken in evaluating this case. We’re very thankful for the investigators from the Village of Pewaukee Police Department and really, we’re thankful for how brave these girls have been in this process,” Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Vivien Morris said after the verdict was read.
The trial, which began Monday, centered on accusations that Felser sexually assaulted four girls, ages 4, 5 and 6, on his school bus. Felser, who taught in the Pewaukee School District for 37 years before becoming a bus driver, maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
During closing arguments Thursday morning, Morris argued the surveillance video evidence was clear.
“It is not reasonable to ignore what we all saw in those videos, if the defense’s argument requires you to set aside what you saw with your own eyes in that video, that’s not reasonable doubt, that’s a rejection of reality,” Morris said.
Defense attorney Craig Powell argued that intentional sexual contact could not be proven in the footage and cautioned the jury against relying on the forensic interviews of the young children.
“You may question his judgment, you may can believe his decision-making was inappropriate in some of those instances, but inappropriate is not illegal, inappropriate is not sexual assault,” Powell said.
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