Local News

Littleton bus driver charged with child rape got hired despite revoked Ala. license

Derek Thistle, 32, worked as a children’s school bus driver until his arrest for allegedly raping a boy under the age of 14.

May 17, 2024

1 minute to read

A Massachusetts superintendent is apologizing to the community after a school bus driver with a previously revoked license was charged with raping a young boy.

Derek Thistle, 32, of Marlborough, was hired as a Littleton school bus driver despite having his license revoked in Alabama years ago.

On May 3, Thistle was arraigned on charges of forcible rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and open and gross lewdness, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.

Thistle allegedly exposed himself to the boy on FaceTime in July 2023, and the boy’s aunt witnessed the incident, according to officials.

The boy then told his aunt that Thistle had sexually assaulted him when visiting Thistle’s home a few months earlier, according to Ryan’s office.

The victim is not believed to be a student in the Littleton school district. However, in an email to parents, Littleton Superintendent Dr. Kelly Clenchy said school officials are “deeply troubled by the severity of the charges.”

“I’d like to apologize to our community and apologize to the families that had children that rode that bus,” Clenchy said, according to a WCVB report.

Clenchy said an investigation is underway to examine the bus company’s hiring practices.

“We’re working with Dee Bus and reviewing their hiring practices and protocols. They’ve been very cooperative with us. We’re determined to get to the bottom of this,” Clenchy said.

Thistle was fired from his job as an Alabama bus driver due to misconduct allegations. According to the WCVB report, he has also worked as a school bus driver in Marlborough and Sutton.

Littleton officials said he passed all required background checks before being hired.

After his arraignment, Thistle was released on $10,000 bail with conditions that he stay away from and have no contact with the victim or witnesses. He’s also not allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors.