School bus driver arrested in Pender County for alleged sex crimes

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — The Pender County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a former school bus driver for alleged sex crimes.

Deputies arrested Austin Lee Kelly, 32, of Burgaw on Wednesday, May 15  for two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

Pender County Schools says Kelly previously served as a bus driver at Heide Trask High School. The PCS statement says Kelly was not employed by Pender County Schools at the time of the arrest. The Sheriff’s Office says Kelly was employed as a school bus driver at the time of the sexual assaults, and two students were identified as victims of the sexual batteries.

Pender County Schools says Kelly was hired in 2023 and dismissed on May 9, 2024.

These charges stemmed from an initial investigation by school staff members of school employment policy violations. School administrators in turn immediately reported criminal offenses to the high school resource officer, which began a criminal complaint leading to these charges.

Anyone with information related to Kelly and this investigation to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office 910-259-1212 or 910-259-1515.

The Pender County Sheriff’s Office wants parents and guardians of minors to strictly monitor their children’s access to on-line activities, including on-line social media apps and gaming systems. Parents should encourage their children to report any suspicious behavior when using social media and gaming systems.

The full statement reacting to the arrest from Pender County Schools is below:

Pender County Schools has been informed of the arrest of a former employee, who previously served as a bus driver at Heide Trask High School. The individual in question was not employed by Pender County Schools at the time of the arrest.

We understand that this news may cause concern within our community, and we want to assure parents, students, and staff that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Pender County Schools is committed to maintaining a secure and supportive environment for all our students.

The Pender County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation related to this arrest, as the individual was not an employee of Pender County Schools we encourage anyone seeking or who has additional information to share about the individual in question to please contact the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.

Pender County Schools remains dedicated to transparency and will continue to cooperate fully with our law enforcement as needed.