Bus Driver Arrested for 'Verbally Demeaning' 8-Year-Old Wilton Student

A First Student bus driver was arrested on disorderly conduct and risk of injury to a minor for “verbally demeaning” an eight-year-old Wilton student, according to a press release from Wilton Police Department  Lt. Donald Wakeman.

On May 11, Wilton School Resource Officer Richard Ross received a complaint from a parent that their child’s bus driver, Pedro Garcia-Saravia, 43, of Stamford, had been verbally harassing their child.

After an investigation, it was allegedly found that not only had Garcia-Saravia been verbally harassing the child, but had encouraged other student passengers to “recite the demeaning language,” according to the report.

The investigation involved audio and video evidence from monitoring equipment installed inside the school bus. Police also found that the harassment had been “ongoing by the bus driver for several months and had caused the child to become reluctant and emotional concerning the bus rides,” according to Wakeman’s report.

Wakeman told Patch that police were not releasing the details of the offending language, and that the student was not in a special needs program.

Garcia-Saravia was released after he posted $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear June 6 in state Superior Court in Norwalk.