A school staffer told police that when the girl arrived at school, she was shaking and visibly upset. The school employee said the driver of the vehicle that dropped the student off exited his car and introduced himself as working for the St. Paul Fire Department.
Surveillance footage showed Thomas’ vehicle in the clinic parking lot, the girl getting into his SUV, as well as the vehicle pulling into the middle school parking lot, according to the charging document.
In an interview with St. Paul Police, Thomas denied touching or soliciting the girl.
Thomas told officers he took the girl to school, saying he accidentally first took her to an elementary building then to the middle school. Thomas later told police, according to the charging document, that he stopped by his apartment first because he needed to lock it, but that the girl never got out of the vehicle.
Police said surveillance video and cell phone data shows it took 45 minutes for Thomas to travel six-and-a-half miles, but said Thomas denied that. He also denied shutting off both of his cell phones after leaving the clinic parking lot, police said.
Representatives from DSI and the city’s fire department did not immediately return a request for comment on Sunday.
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