City Crossing Guard Arrested for Sexual Assault After Posing as Driving Instructor

A long-time City of Rochester crossing guard faces multiple felony charges after police say he posed as a driving instructor to lure an 18-year-old woman into his vehicle before sexually assaulting her.

Wayne Plummer, 58, was taken into custody over the weekend at his residence in the 300 block of Hudson Avenue. He has been formally charged with two counts of first-degree Rape, first-degree Sexual Abuse, and second-degree Unlawful Imprisonment.

According to Rochester Police Department investigators, the incident began when the victim, an 18-year-old resident of Orleans County, traveled by bus to Rochester for a scheduled driving lesson. Finding the business closed upon her arrival near the intersection of State Street and Lyell Avenue, she waited outside. Shortly before 3:30 PM, Plummer allegedly pulled up in his personal vehicle and initiated a conversation, falsely convincing the teenager that he was a substitute instructor affiliated with the driving school. Believing his claims, the victim entered the vehicle.

Authorities state Plummer drove the woman around city streets before taking her to his Hudson Avenue apartment, where the sexual assault occurred. Following the assault, the victim located a phone charger, powered on her device, and covertly text messaged a family member for assistance. The relative successfully tracked the phone's live location while simultaneously contacting emergency dispatchers. RPD patrol units swarmed the apartment building, safely recovered the victim, and placed Plummer under arrest at the scene. The victim was subsequently transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

RPD Captain Greg Bello confirmed that Plummer has been employed as a municipal crossing guard for nearly ten years. City administration officials and law enforcement spokespersons noted that permanent termination paperwork was immediately put into motion following the arrest. The Rochester City School District also issued a clarifying statement confirming that Plummer is a city employee and has never been employed by the school district. Plummer was arraigned in Rochester City Court and is currently being held at the Monroe County Jail on 5,000 dollars cash bail.