Police: Student Caught Ramapo School Bus Driver In Act Of Public Lewdness
RAMAPO, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A school bus driver in Rockland County has been arrested and charged, after a student allegedly caught him masturbating while driving the bus.
Town of Ramapo police said Thursday that the student was on the bus around 7:30 a.m. this past Tuesday, headed to a nearby parochial school. The student allegedly saw the driver expose his penis and masturbate while driving the bus, police said.
Police told the Journal News the student, a 14-year-old boy, saw the driver's lewd conduct through a large mirror the driver uses to watch students on the bus. The mirror is angled for the driver to observe passengers, but from the passenger's perspective, it was angled at the driver's lap, the newspaper reported.
The driver advised school officials and his parents after being dropped off at the school, police said.
Following an investigation, Robert Bertart, 60, of Orangetown, was charged with public lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.
Bertart worked for Nanuet-based Vel Coach Company, police said. The company released a statement to CBS2, saying it is cooperating with the investigation, and noting that it conducts background checks including fingerprinting and FBI criminal history for all prospective employees.
"We have zero tolerance on this event," company operations manager Daniel Cavarozzi said in the statement. "This driver is no longer employed by Vel Coach."
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