DART Bus Driver tried to Force self on passenger

TCD619 · #1 08-26-2007, 08:02 AM

THIS GUY LIVES RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME!!!

A DART driver was charged Thursday with making sexual advances toward a pregnant passenger whom he allegedly assaulted on a bus he was driving. Wilmington police said Cedric Q. Saylor, 40, of the first block of Yorktown Road in New CAstle, tried to cover the bus's surveillance cameras to hide the alleged act.

Saylor was arrested and charged with one count of third-degree unlawful sexual contact, but later released on $500 bail Thursday.

State Department of Transportation spokesman Mike Williams said Friday that Saylor has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation and resolution of the criminal charge.

"If he's cleared, his position is returned to him," Williams said.

Master Sgt. Steven Barnes of Wilmington police said the 24-year-old passenger reported that she boarded the No. 8 DART bus about 11 a.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of E. Ninth St. and was one of two passengers on board.

When she got on the bus, Barnes said, Saylor allegedly greeted her with, "Here comes my baby with my baby." The victim said she knew Saylor's first name after taking public transportation for the past eight years.

The woman is seven months pregnant, police said in court records.

After the other passenger exited the bus at Fifth and Pine streets, the driver reportedly made inappropriate remarks to the victim.

The driver continued to drive to Christiana Avenue, where he parked the bus north of Terminal Avenue near a blue-and-yellow building, and used bus pass cards to cover up two cameras on the bus.

According to court records, Saylor started asking the woman if he could see her belly and she repeatedly said no.

He then led her to the middle section of the bus and sat down across from her, police said.

"You can see him on the surveillance tape going up and covering the camera," Barnes said. "The detective who viewed the video saw him making advances toward her."

The suspect then touched the woman sexually through her clothing as she protested, Barnes said.

After the woman repeatedly refused his advances, Saylor said, "Well, I can see this isn't going anywhere," stood up, uncovered the cameras and drove her to Eighth and Lombard streets, where she got off the bus.

The victim later reported the incident to police, which led to an investigation and a warrant being issued for Saylor's arrest.

According to court records, Saylor pleaded guilty in 1992 to second-degree robbery, offensive touching and theft.

Contact Terri Sanginiti at 324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com.