ST. GEORGE — A St. George school bus driver was charged Tuesday with three counts of rape involving a 16-year-old girl who rode his bus.
Misael (Mike) Aramis Romero, 41, was arrested Monday and booked into the Washington County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
The charges, all first-degree felonies, were filed after police received a complaint last week from the girl's mother, who told police the man had been the girl's bus driver for "several years," St. George police spokesman James Schafer said.
The girl told police the relationship became sexual in March. She said the two engaged in sexual intercourse on "less than 10 occasions," all of which occurred at Romero's St. George home, according to a St. George police report.
Police and a Division of Child and Family Services official interviewed the girl, who called the relationship "consensual" and said she was in love with Romero, the report states.
Romero told the girl he would leave to El Salvador if the police ever found out, according to the report, prompting officers to request a higher bail.
Washington County School District officials could not be reached for comment.
— Josh Smith