Texas shuttle driver charged with sexually assaulting man with Down syndrome, autism

From KTRK-TV:

HOUSTON -- A driver for a shuttle service is accused of sexually assaulting a disabled man, who has Down's syndrome and autism.

It happened on July 13. According to investigators, an SUV pulled up to a motel on Hempstead Highway. The driver paid $20 for a room. Two men went inside a room for 20 minutes and then left.

One of those men was a 24-year-old man with Down's syndrome and autism. He later told his parents he was sexually assaulted. They called police.

Donna Hawkins with the District Attorney's Office said, "He was able to pretty clearly state what had happened to him. He even indicated to the officers that the man hurt him. He kept saying, 'It hurt, it hurt.'"

As troubling as the allegation are the circumstances behind it. The suspect, identified as David Arevalo, 44, since January was the shuttle driver who'd pick up the victim from his house. Working for Texas Star Shuttle, Arevalo would take the victim to a jobs program several times a week.

On the day of the assault, the suspect is said to have been driving his own vehicle. He lives at a home in the Pearland area. No one answered the door Thursday and according to his neighbors, Arevalo hasn't been seen for some time. He's no longer employed by Texas Star Shuttle.

There are concerns that Arevalo has fled the area or even the country and that there may be more victims.

"This could be a situation where a person hasn't made an outcry to the police and let them know that this has happened to them," said Officer Jennifer Kennedy with the HPD Sex Crimes Unit. "So if there's anybody else who's been a victim, we'd ask them to call the sex crimes unit."