Child sexual assault, Pewaukee school bus driver accused

Bus driver accused, repeated child sex assault

A Pewaukee school bus driver is charged with the repeated sexual assault of a child. Investigators said it happened on the bus.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. - A Pewaukee school bus driver is charged with the repeated sexual assault of a child. Investigators said it happened on the bus, and he worked with kids for decades.

Bus driver charged

What they're saying:

Prosecutors charged 62-year-old Thomas Felser with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl on his school bus multiple times. 

"He used his position of authority and trust to routinely access and abuse the victim," the prosecutor said.

Investigators said Felser gave the girl candy and made her sit on his lap. He allegedly put his hands down her pants when they were alone.

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"The mother had become concerned when she checked the GPS app and saw that the school bus had not moved for about 10 minutes," the prosecutors said.

The victim’s mother drove to the bus and said she found Felser alone with her daughter. Village of Pewaukee police reviewed bus surveillance video, which prosecutors said captured Felser "repeatedly touching the victim."

Prosecutors also said Felser sat with the girl in a row of seats obscured by the school bus’s camera. 

"The victim later participated in a forensic interview where she disclosed the defendant repeatedly touched her on the bus," the prosecutor said.

The victim’s mother spoke in court and asked that her voice not be used in an effort to protect her daughter's identity. She told the court commissioner: "My daughter, like all children, deserves to grow up feeling safe, valued and protected. But instead, her innocence was ripped away from her in the most horrific way."

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In addition to repeated sexual assault of a child, Felser is charged with three counts of sexual misconduct by school staff. The court commissioner set his bond at $350,000. He has no prior criminal record.

What's next:

The village of Pewaukee police chief said there are no other victims at this time but encouraged anyone with additional information to come forward to police.

Decades working with kids

Dig deeper:

The Pewaukee School District said Felser was a teacher at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School for 37 years. He retired in 2020 and most recently worked as a summer school teacher in 2024.

As of Thursday, Felser's current employer, Go Riteway, placed him on leave.

Pewaukee School District letter to parents on May 16, 2025