Alexander Rodriquez
A county school bus driver has been charged with raping a 15-year-old student.
Alexander Rodriguez, 34, of Dusty Trail, Ooltewah, was being held on $350,000 bond.
The sheriff's office said it got a report at 9:30 p.m.
of a missing juvenile, who was last seen boarding a school bus at Sale Creek High School that afternoon.
The missing girl returned home at 10:16 p.m. and spoke with a detective.
She said Rodriguez drove the bus to where the buses are kept, then she rode with him in his car to a motel adjacent to a Waffle House. Authorities said she was taken the Super Eight Motel on Lee Highway.
She said she went to a motel room with Rodriguez and he forced her to perform oral sex, though she told him no. She said he then forced himself on her, and she told him the sex hurt. She said he replied, "I'm trying to make it hurt."
The girl said the bus driver received a call on his cell phone asking if he knew anything about her. Shortly after the call, he drove her to the Birchwood area and put her out of the car. She said it took her an hour to walk home.
The girl said Rodriguez told her to say that she had been with a friend.
When questioned by police, Rodriguez first said he did not know the missing girl his boss had called him about. He continued to deny knowing anything about her getting on his bus.
A detective said he later admitted knowing her and said he had given her a ride in his car to a Krystal.
When asked if they had gone to a motel, he said he wanted to talk to a lawyer.