Wagoner County Man, Former Bus Driver, Arrested For Child Sexual Abuse

A former bus driver for Wagoner Public Schools has been arrested on complaints of child sexual abuse and lewd acts. The Wagoner County sheriff said he could have abused nine victims.

We don't know the exact years Robert Allen Searl drove school buses for Wagoner Public Schools, but the superintendent said he had the job for several years, most recently, about a year ago.

Searl, 45, would get kids to trust him, then lure them to his house in Toppers, said Wagoner County Sheriff Bob Colbert. He said an 8-year-old girl came forward about a week ago.

The sheriff said she led his office to arrest Searl for two counts of child sexual abuse and one count of lewd acts/proposals to a minor child.

Deputies said they know of three victims, but there could be six more.

"It's just pure disgust, I mean this guy, we actually found out that this guy, when he was driving the school bus, that he tried to get one of our deputy's daughters to spend the night at his house," Colbert said.

"It's just frightening, I mean, here you got a guy with the public trust, you know, families' kids, and then he takes advantage of them sickly."

The sheriff said Searl was most recently working for a heat and air company.

Deputies are still investigating.