Winchester Driving Instructor Charged In Case Of 2 Teenage Girls

Arlington MA

27 July, 2021

6:34 PM

Description

Your Arlington Last Updated: 27 July 2021 Written by Boston.com, Jordan Mayblum A Winchester driving instructor faces a Sept. 3 court date in connection with charges of inappropriately touching two teenage girls while giving them lessons last year. Carl A. Welliver, 63, was arraigned Wednesday, July 21, on two counts each of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14 and accosting and annoying another person, the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office said in a press release. The incidents allegedly occurred while Welliver was an instructor at the Middlesex Driving Academy in Winchester, where he last taught in May. Before teaching at the academy, Welliver owned his own driving school in Stoneham. He also drove a bus for special-needs students for Arlington Public Schools. No longer driving students in Arlington Welliver's driver's license has since been suspended following Winchester police notifying the Registry of Motor Vehicles. He also is no longer driving students for Arlington, the release said. During his arraignment in Woburn District Court, Welliver was released on his own recognizance. He was ordered to stay away from the victims and witnesses and to not work as a driving instructor, or drive any minors outside of his family. He was also ordered to stay away from the academy, authorities said. The charges stem from incidents that allegedly happened in August and the early fall of 2020. During that time, two 16-year-old girls were taking lessons from Welliver. "During those lessons, Welliver is alleged to have indecently assaulted the two female juveniles by touching their upper thigh, along with other inappropriate conduct including multiple incidents of unwanted touching while the students were driving and while one of the victims was working at the Academy," the district attorney's office said in the release. The investigation began around June 3. Anyone who may have information related to the investigation is asked to contact the Winchester Police Detectives Bureau. Official statement This case led Elizabeth C. Homan, the new Arlington Public Schools' superintendent, and Arlington Police Chief Julie Flaherty to issue this public statement Thursday, July 22: "The Arlington Public Schools and Arlington Police are aware of allegations brought to light against a former district student transportation driver. The allegations stem from an outside job in another community, not related to their employment with the Arlington Public Schools. "The individual in question has been employed as a 7D Student Transport Driver since 2009 and had passed all standard pre-employment screening, including CORI check. The individual ceased working for the district in June. "The district has not received any complaints or allegations regarding this individual. The district will review this individual's employment history, and any employee or family with questions or concerns is asked to contact the superintendent's office at 781-316-3501 or the Arlington Police Department at 781-643-1212." The statement does not name Welliver, but a person in a position to know has confirmed that he is the person to whom the statement refers. Various media outlets, including Boston.com and Patch, reported the charges. YourArlington.com has provided news and opinion about Arlington, Mass., since 2006. Publisher Bob Sprague is a former editor at The Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Arlington Advocate. Read more at https://www.yourarlington.com/about.