An instructor at the Skowhegan Driving School has been arrested after allegedly having an improper sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student in Carrabec High School’s driver’s education program, police said.

Duane Marquis. Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

Duane Marquis, 58, of Skowhegan, was arrested Thursday on a charge of gross sexual assault, according to a news release from Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster.

In the release, Lancaster said the Somerset County Sheriff”s Office received a complaint from the administration at Carrabec High School, in North Anson, regarding an 18-year-old student enrolled in the driver’s education program who was having a sexual relationship with Marquis.

According to Maine law, a person is guilty of gross sexual assault if they engage in sexual acts with another person and that person, not being their spouse, “is a student enrolled in a private or public elementary, secondary or special education school, facility or institution and the actor is a teacher, employee or other official having instructional, supervisory or disciplinary authority over the student.”

On Thursday, Detective Jeremy Leal of the sheriff’s office interviewed Marquis about the alleged relationship with the student, which he admitted to, Lancaster said.

Marquis was arrested and booked at the Somerset County Jail, where he is being held on $2,500 cash bail. Bail conditions include that Marquis not have contact with the victim or the victim’s family.

He is scheduled to appear in Somerset County Unified Criminal Court on May 15.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
rohm@centralmaine.com 
Twitter: @rachel_ohm