A school bus driver accused of sexually assaulting two young Kinnelon students bribed them with candy and donuts so they would not to reveal the months of molestation during daily games of “hide-and-seek” on the bus after they parked outside the school in Morris County, authorities said.

Thomas Thomasevich, 70, of Oakland, was arrested Tuesday on charges of sexual assault, child endangerment and multiple counts of neglect. He is being held in the Morris County jail, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

The sexual assaults began in October and continued near-daily until one of the girls reported the abuse by “Bus Driver Tom" to guidance counselors on Jan. 17, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by police in support of the charges. The girls were under the age of 13, but the specific Kinnelon school was not revealed in court documents.

The sexual abuse occurred on the bus outside the school after Thomasevich parked and allowed them to play “hide and seek” with seat belts off, authorities said. He arrived early enough that the students remained on the parked bus, and the used the opportunity to sexually assault the two girls, authorities said.

He also allowed students to play on the bus while it was moving with their seat belts off, authorities said.

During an interview Tuesday with police, Thomasevich told officers he might have touched one student, but that it was accidental because his eyes were closed for the game, authorities said. He denied touching a second student, authorities said.

A spokeswoman for the Kinnelon school district said Thomasevich was employed by an outside company, and will not have any further contact with students. A spokesman for the bus company, First Student, said they would be conducting their own internal investigation and that Thomasevich has been removed from service.

Thomasevich does not have any prior criminal history in New Jersey, court records show. He does not currently have a lawyer listed.

He faces two charges of sexual assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and six counts of cruelty and neglect of children. He is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday.

Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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