Former Poudre School District paraprofessional accused of assaulting students out on bond

Update, 4 p.m. Aug. 24: This story was updated to reflect the postponement of Tyler Zanella's disposition hearing or status conference until Oct. 18, a motion that was approved in court Aug. 24 by Judge Daniel M. McDonald.

A former Poudre School District paraprofessional accused of harassing and assaulting at least six children was released on bond this week but will not be allowed to have contact with his own children while he awaits prosecution.

Tyler Zanella, 36, faces nearly 130 charges, including 30 felony charges, stemming from incidents involving six named victims that police say occurred while he was working on Poudre School District buses transporting special education students. Zanella began working for PSD on Aug. 29, 2022, and was fired following his arrest May 24, a school district spokesperson said.

Zanella was released from Larimer County Jail on Monday after posting his $40,000 bond. The conditions of his bond include that he cannot have contact with anyone under the age of 18, but he had requested a bond modification that would allow him to see his 2-year-old daughter and 10-year-old stepdaughter with another adult present.

Eighth Judicial District Judge Daniel M. McDonald denied that request Tuesday.

Zanella’s attorney, Andy Gavaldon, asked for the bond modification in open court over concerns about the “trauma” that preventing the girls from seeing their father could cause the children. He presented the judge with letters in support of the modification from Zanella’s ex-wife of 10 years and the mother of his 2-year-old daughter.

More: Legal documents reveal new details of abuse case against PSD bus paraprofessional

Chief Deputy District Attorney Laura Hinojos objected to the modification, noting that the actions Zanella is accused of taking “are just purely sadistic” and raising concerns that he would not follow the existing bond restrictions.

She then invited family members of named victims in the case, who were seated in the gallery behind her, if they would like to speak.

Four mothers did. Three of the four described, in detail, the extent of the physical abuse and verbal threats they say they witnessed Zanella making while reviewing video surveillance from a school bus, which was the footage Fort Collins police viewed before arresting Zanella. All six of the named victims in the case are nonverbal, autistic children.

“The allegations are extreme, and they raise significant concerns for community safety,” McDonald said while ruling against the bond modification.

McDonald also ruled out an alternate request by Gavaldon that Zanella be allowed to have supervised visits with his children through a professional third party, noting that other adults were said to have been present when Zanella is accused of assaulting students.

“Those do not give the court comfort that his own children will be safe in the presence of another adult,” McDonald said. “… The trauma his children could face in his presence outweighs the trauma they will face in his absence.”

Gavaldon said he was still reviewing the evidence against Zanella and was awaiting additional evidence from prosecutors.

More: Why did PSD hire a bus attendant with record of child abuse? Here's what we know about case

He also said he had been notified additional charges could be filed against his client in this case. Hinojos confirmed that, noting that the postponement of a scheduled forensic interview that has not yet taken place is delaying the district attorney’s office from filing those additional charges.

Gavaldon declined comment as he left the courtroom with Zanella and Zanella’s girlfriend.

Zanella’s court date for a possible disposition or status conference, originally set for Aug. 24, was postponed until Oct. 18 by McDonald at the request of Gavaldon, who said he needed the additional time to gather and review evidence through discovery.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Ex-PSD bus paraprofessional accused of assaulting students out on bond