A Chester County school bus driver was arrested on Saturday for allegedly sexually assaulting a young girl a decade ago.
On April 3, the victim, who is now an adult, told police she was sexually assaulted by 63-year-old Terry Smith of West Chester, Pa. 10 years ago. West Goshen Police detectives conducted an investigation and were able to develop enough evidence to arrest Smith, according to officials.
Police say the victim was a childhood friend of Smith's children. The victim told police Smith supervised her and other children during sleepovers at his home. During the sleepovers, Smith allegedly sexually assaulted the girl several times.
According to court documents, the girl says she pretended to sleep through one of the sexual assaults.
According to police, Smith admitted to his actions. Police say the assaults took place several times between 2002 and 2004. They also say the girl was 8 years old during the first assault.
Smith is a bus driver with the Garnet Valley School District. While police suspect this was an isolated incident, they encourage anyone else who was assaulted by Smith to come forward.
"We have no indication that there are other victims," said West Goshen Police Detective Sergeant Michael Carroll. "That certainly doesn't rule out the fact that there could be other victims."
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Garnet Valley Superintendent Marc Bertrando says Smith passed all criminal background checks before he was hired as a driver last October. Before that he drove a bus for the West Chester School District. Officials in that district say he passed two background checks before being hired in 2008.
From 2008 to 2012 Smith also drove a bus for Krapf Bus. In a statement the company said they also did background checks and that while he worked for them from 2008 to 2102 that they never had any notable issues.
Smith was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of children, indecent assault and corruption of minors.
He was arraigned and committed to the Chester County Prison in lieu of posting $100,000 cash bail.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
