Former PSD bus attendant facing 164 charges will get more time to consider plea deal

Kelly Lyell, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·2 min read
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Tyler Zanella, 36, stands next to his attorney, Andy Gavaldon, in court at the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
Tyler Zanella, 36, stands next to his attorney, Andy Gavaldon, in court at the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

A Larimer County judge granted another continuance Friday in the case of Tyler Zanella, the former Poudre School District bus attendant facing 164 charges of assault, harassment and abuse for conduct police say took place on PSD buses while he was working last spring.

Zanella’s attorney, Andy Gavaldon, asked Judge Daniel McDonald to give Zanella additional time to consider a plea agreement that has been offered to him by the 8th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Details of the plea agreement, which was expected to be presented during Friday's hearing, have not been disclosed.

With the approval of Jon Wills, a deputy district attorney for the 8th Judicial District, a new arraignment/disposition hearing in the case was scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29. Family members of some of the alleged victims who were speaking to Wills outside the courtroom at the Larimer County Justice Center after Friday's hearing were clearly frustrated by the additional delay that allows Zanella to remain free on bond through the holidays.

Zanella, 37, has been charged with 34 felony counts of assault against at-risk individuals and 129 misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment related to 11 Poudre School District students named as victims in the case. He also faces a sentence enhancement charge for habitual child abuse, court records show. The victims were identified by Fort Collins police following an investigation that included reviewing surveillance footage that included both audio and video from the school buses.

Stephen Baity — a Denver-based attorney representing the families of six victims in two civil lawsuits filed against Zanella, Poudre School District and others — said Wednesday that he was told by the legal counsel representing the school district in those cases that there were more than 11 victims.

Zanella was originally arrested by Fort Collins police on May 24, 2023, on charges related to one student. The school district fired him that day, a PSD spokesperson said. Additional charges were added and additional victims identified through further investigation and review of surveillance video by Fort Collins police, the district attorney’s office and a police spokesperson said.

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.

Reporter Kelly Lyell covers education, breaking news, some sports and other topics of interest for the Coloradoan. Contact him at kellylyell@coloradoan.com, twitter.com/KellyLyell or facebook.com/KellyLyell.news. 

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Former PSD bus attendant will get more time to consider plea deal