Former Olympia school bus driver accused of child rape and molestation



OLYMPIA, Wash. -- For the second time, a former Olympia school bus driver is accused of sexually abusing a student.

Jimmy Wall pleaded not guilty in a Thurston County courtroom Monday to several counts of child rape and molestation. Prosecutors say he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old boy more than eight years ago. According to court documents, the accuser met Wall while attending Madison Elementary in 2007-2008. Wall had been his bus driver.

The victim tells investigators Wall began taking him to places like Lions Park and LBA Park in Olympia to go geocaching when the sexual assaults happened.

Wall’s attorney, Wayne Fricke, said his client is innocent.

“Mr. Wall subjected himself to a polygraph test, which he passed with flying colors when asked if he had any type of sexual contact with this now adult,” said Fricke during Monday’s hearing.

Detectives questioned Wall’s former roommate, Gary Shafer, who recalled Wall taking the boy out on several occasions and Shafer found it “strange.”

Shafer was convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting three Olympia girls while working as a bus driver.  Wall's attorney says the new accusation against Wall may stem from a civil lawsuit filed against the school district involving Shafer's actions.

“This allegation came up in contact with a civil litigation involving the school district, where the alleged victim made allegations against a different individual,” said Fricke.

The Olympia School District says Wall worked for the district for over 13 years and resigned at the end of March to take a job with another agency and that the district didn’t know about the allegations at that time.

Wall’s trial is set to start next month. His bail was set at $300,000.