The owner of a York driving academy is facing assault and disorderly-conduct charges, police said.
Stephen Graziano, a driving instructor and owner of York Driving School LLC, is due for his first court appearance March 4.
The charges stem from a complaint that grew out of an “incident involving a student driver” and Graziano last spring, police said late Tuesday.
Police said they conducted a thorough investigation after receiving a report of the alleged crimes and found sufficient evidence to arrest Graziano.
The driving school, located in Meadowbrook Plaza, caters primarily to local York High School teenagers.
Graziano, 63, was bailed out after his Nov. 26 arrest. Police gave no indication why they waited until a week after the arrest to disclose it.
Cops were requesting “anyone with additional information related to this case or similar incidents to come forward.”
News of the case against him flooded the police department Facebook page with comments from the public, some supporting Graziano and some criticizing him.
The department at one point started preventing some people from posting comments on the page. No explanation was given for censoring the discussion.
York Driving School, in business since 1973, is “independently owned and operated by staff of the York School Department,” its website says.
“This tradition has ensured a high level of professional commitment to the responsible development of our local youth,” it says. “We are committed to providing an excellent educational experience for the beginning driver to develop the skills needed to be a safe and responsible driver.”
The driving school lists with the Maine Secretary of State Corporations Division its legal address as Graziano’s home on Old Post Road.
The division’s records reviewed by The Maine Wire show that the school’s corporate-filing requirements are up to date.
