EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif — A special education bus driver is facing 10 felony counts after being accused of sexually assaulting a dependent adult. Investigators fear there may be more victims.
The investigation has been going on since May 31, 2023 when the first sexual assault was reported. However, families say they are just now receiving information about the arrest, and they are outraged by the lack of transparency from the El Dorado County Office of Education.
Paul Andrus is one of many parents who received a letter from the El Dorado County Office of Education informing them the man who drove the school bus for special education students had been arrested.
“Hurt as a parent and angry. If I think about it, as a parent, I start to get emotional right away. I mean, I see these kids on the buses,” said Andrus.
The letter said the details remained confidential and the employee was placed on administrative leave.
“There is more information available in the public sphere then what they are providing,” said Andrus.
The El Dorado Sheriff’s office arrested Tarik “Ty” Manasrah on Friday.
Manasrah has been employed as a special education bus driver with the Office of Education since October 2021.
He faces 10 felony counts including:
- Two counts of Oral Copulation of a victim incapable of consent
- Sexual penetration of a victim incapable to give consent
- Sodomy of a victim incapable of giving consent
- oral copulation by use of force, injury, intimidation
- Sodomy by force, violence, fear
- sexual penetration with force, fear, rape
- sexual battery by restraint
- sexual battery masturbation
- lewd and lascivious acts with dependent adult by care taker
Andrus has questions about the background check process.
“If someone had been alleged of rape of a special needs person, why on earth should that person be anywhere near a school or any campus?" said Andrus.
The Office of Education told ABC10 in a statement they conduct background checks through the Department of Justice and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“It only takes one incredibly bad experience by one bad actor to really destroy the emotional resilience of a special needs person,” said Andrus.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office says they will be contacting all families whose students were transported by Manasrah. Manasrah remains in the El Dorado County jail without bail.
A full statement from the El Dorado County Office of Education is available below.
On Friday, August 4, a special education transportation driver was taken into the custody of law enforcement while on EDCOE’s campus. While we understand the desire to know specifics about this event, the details remain confidential as the Sheriff's department continues its investigation. In the meantime, the employee has been placed on administrative leave.
Pursuant to California law, during the hiring process, all employees of our county office go through a thorough background check through the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) before they are hired. While this remains a confidential personnel matter, and we respect the rights of due process, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to support their investigation in any way we can. In the meantime, our focus is on providing a safe and high-quality educational environment for all of our students.
Currently, the criminal investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is requested to contact Detective M. Sosa at (530) 642-4711 or sosam@edso.org.
In the meantime, our focus is on continuing to provide a safe and high-quality educational environment for all of our students.
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