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Bus Driver Charged With Sexual Assault

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Jan 7, 2009 5:53 pm US/Eastern

Bus Driver Charged With Sexual Assault

Reporting
Trina Orlando
LATROBE (KDKA) ― A Unity Township man has been charged with sexually molesting six mentally handicapped women who were passengers on a bus he was driving.

Paul Lizza, 74, is charged with six counts each of indecent assault on persons with a mental disability, indecent contact without consent and institutional sexual assault.

Police say the assaults happened between January 2005 and November 2008 while Lizza was employed as a bus driver by First Student.

According to a criminal complaint, the victims range in age from 27 to 52.

Their levels of disability range from moderate to severe mental retardation.

Police say Lizza would pick the women up in the morning and deliver them to therapy or training facilities then take the women back to their homes at the end of the day.

A witness tells police that the incidents would happen in various locations when Lizza would pull off the road or into a parking area.

First Student spokesperson Nicol Jones said Lizza has worked for the company since 1994 when it was Laidlaw.

"We are disappointed that this happened on one of our buses," Jones said. "We have one of the most stringent background check policies in the industry. This employee came up clean on every routine background check and re-check that was done."

Jones said that Lizza was suspended after the first allegations of assault.

He was terminated after charges were filed.

The buses were contracted by the Westmoreland County Office of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.

Officials there have not returned a call seeking comment.

Lizza referred KDKA to his attorney for comment. His attorney says Lizza has denied the allegations since the moment they were made and plans to defend himself to the fullest extent.

Lizza was released after his arraignment on $5,000 unsecured bond.

He'll be in court for a preliminary hearing March 3. 


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