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Bus Route Goes Past Sexual Predators' Homes
School District Will Change Bus Route

POSTED: 12:25 p.m. EST February 28, 2002
UPDATED: 1:18 p.m. EST February 28, 2002

CLEVELAND -- Parents in a Stark County community are worried about their kids because three of their neighbors are convicted sex offenders, according to NewsChannel5. 

"I've told her many times that she's not allowed to ride her bike by herself and things like that," Michelle Williams said. "Our son is 14, and I don't let him run around by himself." 

Neighbors warned Bill and Michelle Williams when they moved into the community to watch their kids. 

 
The warning was about Tobby Duffy, James Numbers and Wayne Ohler, all of whom are convicted sex offenders. 

Two of them, Duffy and Numbers, have violated their probation. 

"If they live inside an area the people should be notified that these persons are a danger to their kids, their wives or anything else for that matter," Richard Summers, a neighbor, said. 

WEWS said that all three of the men are registered with the county sheriff's department, but when they registered no one told the neighbors. 

"You know it gives you an uneasy feeling," said Warren Van Fossen, superintendent of Sandy Valley School. "We've always been conscious of the safety of our students and anything that jeopardizes that is a concern. It gives you an ill feeling." 

Fossen said he is willing to alter the routes to make the kids safe. Now, the bus has to past in front of sex offenders' houses. 

Williams wants police to keep an eye on them as well. 

"You know they tell you they're keeping track of these guys, but I just hope they are," she said. 

Duffy will appear in court Friday for a probation violation hearing. Numbers is in jail tonight. He was arrested for driving under the influence. 


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