Police Seek Last Driver in Tour Bus Safety Crackdown : Investigation: The owner of America West Stages and six of his drivers have been arrested in a case involving excessive driving time, inadequate licenses and falsified records. A seventh suspect remains at large.

A search continued for the last of seven men suspected of working dangerously long hours for a tour bus operator while illegally shuttling local schoolchildren, authorities said Monday.

The California Highway Patrol arrested Willard Weyand, 60, owner of America West Stages, and five of his drivers during a crackdown on unsafe operating procedures, said Todd Switzer, deputy district attorney.

The children were traveling to Washington, D.C., on field trips arranged by local teachers. America West Stages was under contract to Lakeland Travel agency, based in Washington, D.C., to take the children to and from Los Angeles International Airport from April to June of this year.

The last driver, who was not identified, has not been found, CHP investigator Claude Meade said.

“He left his new employer about a week ago,” Meade said. “We don’t know where he is.”

Weyand, of Anaheim, is accused of arranging the transportation of more than 1,200 children from 15 school districts while lacking the proper licenses, Switzer said. He is also charged with knowingly sending his drivers out on runs for longer periods of time than legally allowed.

Weyand faces 79 counts of violating the state vehicle code by allowing unsafe driving conditions, Switzer said.

Weyand, released on his own recognizance over the weekend, was unavailable for comment.

The drivers were also later released after being charged with a variety of misdemeanor counts of driving too many hours and falsifying their log books to hide the excess time, Switzer said.

“The owner knew about it and paid them,” Switzer said. “That makes him the most culpable. But all these guys . . . were dangerous on the road. That’s our concern.”

Weyand and driver Alfred Lewis, 52, of Anaheim, were arrested at noon Friday at the America West Stages bus yard.

Arrested late Friday were: Raymond Cullors, 45, also of Anaheim, who reportedly drove 29 hours in one stretch; Virgil Atkins, 68, of Anaheim; William Dyer, 50, of Long Beach; and Joseph Esparza, 28, of Banning.

Steve Bracy, 23, of Corona, was arrested on Sunday after his wife brought him to the CHP station in Santa Ana, CHP investigator Meade said.

Esparza and Dyer were arrested as they completed allegedly illegal trips to Universal Studios and Indio, Meade said. The company’s license to carry passengers within California was suspended on Aug. 23 after the CHP seized all company records. America West Stages, however, is allowed to shuttle customers across state lines, Meade said.

Arraignments were scheduled in North Municipal Court in Westminster on Oct. 11, Switzer said.