Waukegan man who worked as school bus driver accused of sex abuse

A man who worked as a school bus driver in Waukegan has been accused of child sexual abuse, the Lake County state's attorney's office said in a news release Tuesday.

Richard Villanueva, 57, of Waukegan worked for Illinois Central School Bus, a third-party company hired by Waukegan School District 60, according to the district's superintendent's office. His employment status was not immediately available Tuesday night.

Authorities encourage parents of any students who may have encountered Villanueva to speak to their children.

Villanueva was arrested Tuesday after the victim reported him to police Aug. 24, the news release said. The victim, a relative who is now an adult, told police there were repeated instances of abuse by Villanueva over the course of several years, the news release said.

Villanueva gave statements to police corroborating the victim's account, the news release said.

A Lake County judge set Villanueva's bail at $750,000, and his next court date is Sept. 21.