Vernon Police have charged a school bus monitor with assaulting a student on a bus.
Marcus Tappin, 33, was arrested Thursday around 8:30 a.m. for an incident that occurred in March.
According to police, a 14-year-old girl was one of a group of students who found a condom on the bus. The girl tapped Tappin's leg with her foot, and he then grabbed the girl and pinned her down in a seat, police said.
“This caused Marcus to go over to her seat and hold her down, push her down and try to pull her into another seat,” Lt. William Meier, of Vernon Police, said.
Tappin is the one who called police to report the disturbance on the bus.
The alleged incident happened at the intersection of Bolton Road and South Frontage Road in Vernon, but the bus was taking the students to a school in East Hartford. Police have not said which school.
Tappin was employed by the town of East Hartford, according to police. His status with the town is unclear.
Tappin is charged with third-degree assault, second-degree unlawful restraint and risk of injury to a child. He was released on a $10,000 bond.
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NBC Connecticut went to the address listed for Tappin and a woman at the house did not respond to a request for comment.
