WESTBROOK, Conn. -- A 26-year-old school bus driver charged with sexual misconduct with minors is accused of wrestling with students, Eyewitness News has learned.

State police investigating a complaint filed last week arrested on Tuesday Anthony Mathre, 26, of Middletown, charging him with fourth-degree sex assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor. He remains held at State Police Troop F in Westbrook on $250,000 bond. Mathre's arrest warrant has since been sealed.

The Regional School District 13 superintendent sent a letter home last Friday to parents of students who ride bus 10 and 40, stating that Mathre "had alleged inappropriate physical contact via 'wrestling games' with some students."

The school district has since started an internal investigation simultaneous to the ongoing state police investigation.

"We treat this matter with the utmost seriousness and have reviewed DATTCO's hiring process. I am confident that the process used was thorough and that the background check was also thorough, and that nothing was brought to our attention that gave cause for concern at the time of hire," Region 13 Superintendent Susan Vaccaro said in a statement.

Mathre is no longer employed by the district or by the contracting company to which he was employed, DATTCO, which runs the bus system for the district.

Connecticut bus drivers are subject to extensive criminal background checks, including FBI checks. The superintendent's office reviewed DATTCO's hiring process and background check regarding Mathre and said it found nothing that gave cause for concern at the time of hire.

"A bus company has to provide certain information to the Department of Motor Vehicles in regard to the individual that they are going to hire," state police spokesman Trooper William Tate said. "That information is then taken by the DMV and the background check is done, both criminal history and their driving history."

A DATTCO representative told Eyewitness News that the company feels blindsided by the developments, Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Heather Hegedus reported.

The company said Mathre has been an employee for less than two years. Mathre has written about being a bus driver on his MySpace page.

Refresh WFSB.com often and watch Eyewitness News for the latest updates for this developing report.

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