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Investigation into SCA duct-tape incident may conclude next week
Published: November 12, 2009
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share thisCATAWISSA RR - The investigation into an incident involving a Southern Columbia Area School bus driver who allegedly duct-taped two students mouths shut could wrap up next week, according to the Locust Township Police Department.
Sgt. Allen Breach told The News-Item Tuesday afternoon that while no charges have been filed against Walter Slavinsky, of Riverside, the investigation continues.
In a press release last month, Chief of Police Jeffrey R. Sutton said that the department had been notified of an incident that "involves a bus driver allegedly placing duct tape over the mouths of two students and making them keep it in place until they arrived at their respective bus stops" on Oct. 15.
Although Slavinsky reportedly has denied placing duct-tape over any students' mouths, he handed in his resignation shortly after superintendent Charles Reh placed him on administrative leave.
The school board unanimously accepted his resignation the following Monday night at its regular board meeting. Slavinsky had been employed by the school district since September 2003.
When asked last month for further information, Reh said he was advised by solicitor Richard Roberts to not comment on the investigation.
The incident is the third of its kind this year, and the second for Southern since 2007. A 6-year-old boy at Mount Carmel Area School District was left on a bus in a parking lot for almost 90 minutes, with temperatures in the teens, in January; and the driver of a Shamokin Area bus failed to report a minor accident she was involved in while more than 50 students were on board in February.
In 2007, another Southern driver was accused of harassing children by two parents. Although no charges were filed against that driver, he resigned last year when he was accused of striking a student.
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