A school bus driver and an aide accused last month of mistreating a special-needs student during his daily ride to Ka'a'awa Elementary School have been charged with three counts each of misdemeanor assault.

The driver, Gilbert Ah Quin, 50, and aide, Alan Nagata, 60, were arrested Monday afternoon at Nagata's home in Kahuku, police said.

Sherry Martinez alleges that Ah Quin and Nagata duct-taped her 11-year-old son's mouth shut while taking him to school on Dec. 6, and then verbally and physically abused him for several days running after she filed a complaint with the school — and later with the police.

Nagata was fired from Kailua Local Taxi and Windward Bus Service within days of the alleged incident, but Ah Quin continued to drive for the company.

Company attorney Marie Riley said yesterday that she could not say whether Ah Quin is still employed by the company. "We are still investigating the allegations, and two very different stories are being told," Riley said.

Martinez said she welcomed the news the two men were charged in the case. "I'm very pleased — elated, actually — that the police and the prosecutors are following up," Martinez said.

She previously said that her son's mouth was taped shut because he continued to sing on the bus after Ah Quin and Nagata had told him to stop. She said her son has an attention deficit disorder but is otherwise a normal student.

Martinez said that although she had been told that Ah Quin no longer drives a bus on the route between Kahuku and Ka'a'awa Elementary, she no longer allows any of her children to ride the bus.

"I transport them myself," Martinez said.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.