Provo High teacher jailed on student sex allegations

A Provo High School teacher was behind bars Friday following his arrest on multiple felony charges alleging he sexually abused a female student.

Donald Bills, 54, was arrested Thursday and booked into the Utah County jail on suspicion of multiple first- and second-degree felony counts ranging from forcible sodomy and sexual abuse to object rape.

Provo police Lt. Mathew Siufanua said Friday the alleged assaults took place at the high school, where Bills taught emergency medical technician courses. The incidents, involving a 17-year-old girl, occurred both during and after school hours over the past two weeks, police said.

Siufanua said that text messages sent back and forth between the suspect and the girl had been obtained by an unidentified third party and brought to the attention of police, sparking the investigation.

A jail probable cause statement contends that Bills had admitted to the relationship in conversation with other faculty members and then later to police, after he came into the department's offices for questioning, Siufanua said.

The girl also disclosed the alleged sexual contacts when interviewed by investigators.

Bills remained in jail on Friday without bail. No initial court date had been set.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims