LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Dozens of new charges have been filed against a paraprofessional who was already accused of assaulting four children on a school bus while he worked for the Poudre School District.
On Tuesday, the district attorney's office added 35 additional charges against Tyler Zanella.
He now is charged with 164 counts related to 11 different victims. His initial charges related to just four victims.
The additional charges are:
- Four counts of third-degree assault - at-risk person (felony)
- 14 counts harassment
- 14 counts of child abuse
- Three counts third-degree assault (misdemeanor)
The investigation into Zanella began in May when Fort Collins Police said the district reported that he made an "inappropriate comment" to a student. That prompted a review of surveillance video from a school bus Zanella was on.
The video showed Zanella hitting a boy who has autism and is nonverbal, police said. More video footage was pulled from prior dates which showed Zanella involved in two other incidents with the same student on April 25 and May 19, an arrest affidavit says.
It's unclear when the other incidents occurred. Zanella was fired by the district after the allegations surfaced.
Zanella was hired by the Poudre School District despite a prior conviction on a misdemeanor child abuse charge, 9Wants to Know learned.
Documents show Adams County sheriff’s deputies arrested Zanella on Jan. 3, 2012. Prosecutors charged Zanella with child abuse – knowingly or recklessly causing injury. In court, Zanella reached a deal with prosecutors, pleading to a reduced charge of child abuse – negligence, no injury.
Zanella is next due in court on Oct. 18.
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