School bus driver arrested for touching and kissing a student

Reporter: Michelle Alvarez Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Tomas Andres Cabrera mugshot. CREDIT: COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

A locked-up bus driver is raising concerns after allegedly inappropriately touching a student.

Detectives are confident they have the evidence they need after watching a surveillance video showing Tomas Cabrera and the disturbing actions to prove he is guilty.

Collier County deputies checked the video after the victim said Cabrera touched and kissed her breast over her clothing.

Parents trust their kids will be in good hands when they get on the school bus. But, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Cabrera, 57, touched the student inappropriately.

“He completely disrespected her in that manner,” Osvaldo Uniga from Golden Gate said.

According to the report, the victim is just ten years old and uses a wheelchair. Deputies said Cabrera touched the victim’s high then touched and kissed her left breast over her clothes.

Libasky Gutierrez has four kids and is disgusted by what she heard.

“All my kids take the bus every day, every year,” Gutierrez said.

“The school needed to check the background,” Gutierrez said.

Collier County schools told WINK News all bus drivers do undergo a criminal background check. After learning of his arrest, the district immediately fired Cabrera.

“You’re an adult. You should be like a role model, especially a bus driver like you shouldn’t be touching kids,” Uniga said.

Uniga lives in Golden Gate, where Cabrera was taken into custody.

“My personal consensus is if you touch a kid, you should just go to life. I mean, kind of lost privileges to be a person that appointment because you know, you’re an adult. You should know better than that,” Uniga said.

WINK News conducted its own criminal background check of Cabrera on Monday. WINK News found traffic violations and an arrest for battery in 2009 that the state attorney decided not to prosecute.

Cabrera worked at McDonald’s then, got into an argument with a co-worker and was accused of punching him in the face. Cabrera is behind bars on Monday with a $500,000 bond.

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