Bus driver killed on job was facing trial on sex charges
WINNIPEG — A bus driver who was fatally stabbed on the job was facing charges of sexual assault dating back three decades and did not show up for jury selection on his original trial date last fall, court documents reveal.
Irvine Jubal Fraser, 58, was charged in 2015 with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference between 1983 and 1991. The complainant, now an adult, said she was repeatedly molested, starting at age five.
Fraser was stabbed at the last stop of his shift early Tuesday. Police said he was trying to get a lone passenger off the bus and the passenger attacked him.
Brian Kyle Thomas, 22, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, possession of a weapon and breach of probation.
John Callahan, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, described Fraser this week as a popular, friendly man who planned to retire next year.
The court documents show Fraser was involved in a lengthy court battle over the sex-assault charges. That led to a warrant being issued for his arrest last October.
The complainant told Fraser’s preliminary hearing that over the years, he had “basically touched me and made me do things inappropriately from the time I was about five until twelve.”
Years would pass before the complainant told her story to an older woman. The older woman testified she confronted Fraser.
“He said: ‘I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt her.’ Now to me, that’s an admission of guilt,” she said.
Fraser denied any wrongdoing. “The accused denies in any way engaging in sexual conduct with the complainant,” said a pre-trial conference memorandum.
Jury selection was set to begin last Oct. 27, but Fraser did not show up and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He turned himself in a few days later. Following further court hearings, the trial was rescheduled for January of next year.
After his arrest last fall, Fraser was released on bail conditions that included not having any contact with the complainant. He was not barred from working with the public or being in contact with children.
Officials with the City of Winnipeg refused to say Thursday whether they knew about the charges. A spokesman would only say that, in general, Criminal Code charges do not automatically lead to a suspension or other discipline.