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A longtime Jefferson County Public Schools bus driver has been arrested on a felony charge of sexual assault on a child after a 10-year-old alleged victim reported an alleged inappropriate relationship with their bus driver to investigators.
Robert Watters, 64, is the Jeffco Public Schools Everitt Middle School Bus Driver Accused of Sexual Assault of a Child in Colorado who turned himself in to Lakewood police on March 12, 2026. He is being held at the Jefferson County Jail without bail. Watters has worked as a bus driver for Jeffco Public Schools since 2018 and has driven students on routes assigned to Everitt Middle School since 2021.
According to investigators, the alleged victim reported that Watters had been engaging in an alleged inappropriate relationship with them, prompting the Lakewood Police Department to open a formal investigation. The Jefferson County School District confirmed the arrest in a letter to the Everitt Middle School community and stated that there are no known victims at the school at this time.
Watters faces a single felony count of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust — a charge that reflects the alleged exploitation of his role as a school employee with direct access to minors.
The factual information above was sourced from cbsnews.com/colorado as of May 29, 2026. The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
When a school employee in direct daily contact with children is accused of sexual assault, families often have civil legal options that extend well beyond the criminal process. Legal Herald editor Paul Amess spoke with Colorado sexual abuse attorney Dan Lipman about the civil legal avenues that may be available in cases involving alleged sexual abuse by a school transportation employee.
Paul Amess: Dan, when a school bus driver is accused of sexually assaulting a child in their care, what civil legal options may be available to families?
Dan Lipman: Cases involving alleged sexual assault by a school transportation employee raise serious questions about institutional accountability. School districts are responsible for thoroughly vetting, training, and supervising the employees who have direct access to children — including bus drivers. When a child is allegedly harmed by a school employee in a position of daily trust and authority, families may have civil claims not only against the individual accused but potentially against the school district for any failures in its screening or oversight processes.
Paul Amess: In cases where a school district states that no other victims are currently known, does that affect a family's ability to pursue civil action?
Dan Lipman: A school district's statement about known victims reflects what is known at a given point in time — it does not settle the question of civil liability. Civil cases examine what the institution knew, what it should have known, and whether adequate protections were in place. Families who have concerns should not wait for other victims to emerge before speaking with an attorney about their own situation.
Paul Amess: What would you say to a family in Colorado whose child was transported by a school employee now facing charges of this nature?
Dan Lipman: Speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Time limits apply to civil claims in Colorado, and early legal guidance is always in a family's best interest. An initial consultation is completely confidential and free of charge — no family should have to navigate this process alone.
If your child was allegedly sexually abused or assaulted by a school employee, bus driver, or any person in a position of authority over a minor in Colorado, you may have the right to pursue civil action and recover financial compensation. Contact The Legal Herald today to be connected with an experienced Colorado sexual abuse attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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