Grand Prairie grandfather who molested young relatives gets five life sentences

A 77-year-old Grand Prairie man was sentenced Friday to five life terms in prison plus 20 years for sexually assaulting and fondling young relatives.

Donald Bruce Werner is a grandfather who told authorities that a 4-year-old female relative initiated their relationship, Tarrant County prosecutor William Vassar said.

“Donald Werner is a prolific pedophile,” Vassar said. “We know of at least three victims he molested. The fact that he believes a 4-year-old girl would want him sexually is beyond belief.”

Werner began having sexually inappropriate relationships with his relatives in January 2002, court records show.

Werner, a former school bus driver for the Irving school district, also told authorities that he found some his riders attractive, Vassar said. There is no evidence that Werner ever molested a child who rode his school bus, Vassar said.

State District Judge Wayne Salvant assessed the sentence on Wednesday.

“With five life sentences, Judge Salvant sent a clear message that we don’t tolerate child molesters in Tarrant County,” Vassar said.

This story was originally published June 19, 2015 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Grand Prairie grandfather who molested young relatives gets five life sentences."