Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A former bus driver for the Canyons School District pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he abused two disabled girls on his bus.
John Martin Carrell, 61, of Draper, is charged in 3rd District Court with 33 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, in two separate cases.
Two three-day trial dates were set Tuesday for Jan. 28-30 and Feb. 4-6 of 2015.
Each of the 33 charges carries a potential maximum prison sentence of 15 years to life.
The abuse allegedly took place on several occasions between February and April until the parents of the two girls raised concerns to police. Surveillance video footage shows Carrell taking extra time unbuckling the girls' seat belts while attempting to block the view of other children, the charges state. Instances of inappropriate touching were also apparent in segments of the footage, according to investigators.
Carrell was being held in the Salt Lake County Jail on $5 million bail until his attorney, Ron Yengich, successfully argued for the bail to be reduced to $500,000. Carrell's bail was posted on Aug. 19, and he remains confined at his home with an ankle monitor.
Before the trials, Carrell will appear in court for a motion hearing on Dec. 2.
