Bus driver accused of deadly crash now facing child molestation charges

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Mario David Vasquez, the 58-year-old driver that crashed a charter bus and killed four passengers in 2016, missed his Merced court date because he's facing new charges in Los Angeles County.

He was supposed to face a judge in Merced on Tuesday.

Instead, he's behind bars in an LA County jail for molesting two victims under the age of fourteen.

The complaint from the Los Angeles District Attorney says the crimes started back in 2007 and lasted until 2017.

One family friend, who didn't want to be identified, told Action News that the victims were his own two adopted granddaughters.

Court documents say Vasquez committed lewd acts on both victims and had sex with one of the young girls.

Vasquez also faces four vehicular manslaughter charges after driving into a pole, splitting the bus in two just outside of Livingston.

Court reports claim Vasquez was repeatedly using his cell phone and was also tired at the time of the crash.

He's pled not guilty to all the charges.

Merced County prosecutors say his case is on hold saying, "We issued a bench warrant for him so that when his case in LA is resolved, he will be held and automatically sent here to finish dealing with this case."

Vasquez' attorney for the bus accident did not return our calls for comment.

He's is being held on a more than $17 million bond in Los Angeles and is due in court for the molestation charges on Monday.