College Community school bus driver charged with kidnapping, sexual misconduct toward student

CEDAR RAPIDS - The College Community School District has dismissed a school bus driver after reported sexual misconduct toward a student on a morning route Jan. 2.

According to a letter sent to parents Monday by College Community Schools, district officials received information on the morning of Jan. 2 regarding 'inappropriate behavior by a bus driver towards a student” during that morning's route. The letter said administrators conducted an immediate investigation, and the employee, who was not named in the letter, was relieved of his duties pending board approval for termination of his job.

The nature of the misconduct was not described in the letter.

The district said it also 'immediately” notified the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Department of Human Services so they could investigate the incident. The letter states that the administration was informed Monday that the staff member was arrested and charged with second-degree kidnapping and sexual exploitation by a school employee.

Thomas Alan Williams, 57, is in the Linn County Jail on those charges and is being held on no bond before his arraignment. Second-degree kidnapping is a serious felony charge, punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

Parents and students with information about the incident are encouraged to contact Cedar Rapids police at (319) 286-5491 and Kris Hartgrave, College Community director of transportation, at (319) 848-5233.