Jeffersonville school bus driver charged with sexual misconduct after visiting 14-year-old girl's home

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A former bus driver for Greater Clark County Schools was arrested after police said he showed up at a teenage student's house, hugged her and made inappropriate comments about her body while she was dressed only in a towel.

Josh Inzer — a bus driver as well as a former bass guitarist for The Juice Box Heroes, a popular cover band based out of southern Indiana — is charged with child solicitation, child seduction and sexual misconduct with a minor.

In police interviews the day after the incident, the 14-year-old girl told investigators Inzer brought her pink pencil case to her house Dec. 17 after she'd lost it on the bus. After Inzer arrived at the house to return it around 8:40 p.m., the girl's mother told police she tried to receive the pencil case from him and close the door. But, she said, Inzer placed his foot in the door frame and "pushed his way into the house." Shortly thereafter, the girl said Inzer appeared at her bedroom door unannounced when she was wearing just a towel around her body after getting out of the shower.

The girl's mother told police she attempted to keep Inzer in the living room, but a baby in another room began crying, so she had to check on it.

The girl told investigators Inzer then came into the room and sat on the bed. At one point, he asked her if she'd shown her breasts to anyone, to which she replied "No, I respect my body." According to police, Inzer then asked to see her breasts. Inzer later admitted to police he "said some stupid (sh**) I shouldn't have said.

"Truthfully I don't remember every word of this," Inzer told police investigators in a Jan. 17 interview, according to his probable cause affidavit. "... it was an ignorant thing to say."

Inzer then lifted his shirt up, the girl told police. According to the probable cause affidavit, he later got down on his knees in front of the bed to look at her and also hugged her several times. The girl's mother told police her daughter had scooted as far back on the bed away from Inzer as she could and, at one point, began knocking on the wall to get her sister's attention.

On Jan. 17, exactly a month after the incident in question, Inzer told police he found the girl's pencil case after finishing his bus route and returned it to her. He said he felt comfortable going to her house after work hours because he'd known the family for years.

In contrast to interviews with family members, Inzer told police the girl's mother invited him inside and directed him toward the girl's bedroom. According to the probable cause affidavit, he said it was an "awkward situation" and he "made some comments to break the awkwardness."

Inzer admitted he hugged the girl and said things he regretted, adding that it was "not a situation they should have been in together," he told police.

"He said it was to get a laugh, that he had a lapse in judgment, and that his mind went to a place it shouldn't have," police wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

GCCS said in a brief statement Tuesday that Inzer isn't a district employee at this time. The district said he was a bus driver for six years, and he resigned on Feb. 21. Neither Inzer nor his attorney replied to a request for comment.

The Juice Box Heroes also released a statement Tuesday night, addressed to their beloved fans and supporters.

"We want to share with you an important update regarding our band. Upon learning of the charges filed against Josh Inzer, he was immediately terminated from The Juice Box Heroes. We have found a replacement that has played with us for the last few weeks and we will announce our new bass player in the near future. We thank and appreciate you all for your support during this difficult time and transition.

"We are committed to integrity, respect, and the well-being of our community. We are grateful for your understanding and continued support during this time. With love and gratitude, The Juice Box Heroes."

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