Bail for Bus Driver Has Limits

A 39-year-old bus driver who allegedly sexually attacked two disabled passengers was ordered Friday to stay away from the women.

Daniel Carlos Porras, whose bail has been set at $100,000, was told that if he is freed that he must stay at least 500 yards from the alleged victims, a 42-year-old mentally disabled woman and a 27-year-old woman with cerebral palsy. His arraignment was postponed until May 23.

The Anaheim man, a contract worker for the Orange County Transportation Authority, faces two felony charges of rape and sodomy, and misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and inflicting injury on a dependent adult.

Porras was investigated and cleared last year by his former employer, Laidlaw Transit Services, after two women registered complaints of inappropriate touching. He worked for Laidlaw for 13 months driving disabled adults home from work. He was fired in January.

Relatives of the alleged 42-year-old victim attended Friday’s hearing.

“We’re very disgusted,” said her sister. “She’s on a special bus and we had a trust that something like this would never happen.”

The mentally disabled woman has been taking the bus for more than a year, her sister said, and has the IQ of a child.

“It was very traumatic for her,” the sister said. “They’re invisible citizens. Just because they can’t articulate well, they’re taken advantage of.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig Cazares said an investigation is continuing to determine if there are additional people with complaints.