Blood Tribe bus driver charged with sex assault

A bus driver with the Blood Tribe Bus Co-op has been charged with sexual interference and assault.

The Blood Tribe Police Service reported Nov. 30 that 54-year-old Ronnie Standing Alone was arrested, then released on several conditions. He is scheduled to appear in Cardston provincial court Dec. 10.

Police continue to investigate the incident from which the charges arise and ask anyone with information about this or any other matter to contact the Blood Tribe Police Service at 403-7373800.

The Kainai Board of Education also issued a statement Nov. 30.

“Existing information is that accused acted alone and there are no other persons of interest,” it reads. “However, KBE encourages anyone having knowledge of other potential incidents to contact Blood Tribe Police.”

With criminal charges laid, KBE is taking the following steps: KBE contacted Blood Tribe Bus Co-op which has assured KBE the accused is no longer transporting KBE students and that other measures have been implemented to assure the safety of KBE students; KBE is providing counselling for students, their parents and other parties directly affected; any parents of students wishing to speak to counsellors should contact Lauretta Many Bears at 403-737-3966; and KBE is working with its stakeholders to retain an expert to review all procedures and then provide a report on how to ensure an incident of this nature does not happen again. The expert report will be shared with Chief and Council and Blood Tribe Bus Coop, and KBE will report to parents and other members of the public in due course.