A Port St. Lucie school bus driver has been arrested after deputies said he allegedly made inappropriate comments and touched a 9-year-old student while she was riding a bus.
A School Resource Deputy with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office received a report March 4 alleging that a bus driver had asked the child to lift her dress while she was on the bus.
The deputy began a preliminary investigation. During follow-up inquiries, additional information indicated the driver may have made inappropriate comments to the child and possibly pinched her over her clothing in the pelvic area.
Based on the information gathered, the case was referred to the sheriff’s office Criminal Investigations Division for further investigation.
Investigators later arrested Edwin Garcia, 71, of Port St. Lucie. He was charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim under the age of 12 by an offender 18 years of age or older.
Garcia was transported to the St. Lucie County Jail for processing.
The investigation remains active. Authorities are asking anyone who may have been a victim or who has additional information related to the case to contact Detective