ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A former Rowan County school bus driver accused of an inappropriate relationship with a student was arrested in Florida after trying to board a cruise ship, authorities said.
Ricky Taylor was extradited to North Carolina and served an arrest warrant Sept. 1 for felony indecent liberties with a student by a school guardian, according to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.
The Rowan-Salisbury School System reported the allegations to the Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 22, 2024. At the time of the alleged offense, Taylor was employed, namely as a bus driver, at Early College Rowan-Cabarrus, where the victim was enrolled as a student.
When detectives began investigating the report in late 2024, they discovered Taylor had moved out of state to an unknown location. Following a months-long investigation, authorities issued a warrant for Taylor’s arrest in July 2025 and entered him into the National Crime Information Center database.
In late August 2026, authorities in Florida flagged Taylor’s name as a wanted person when he attempted to board a cruise ship. Officers arrested Taylor at the port and extradited him to North Carolina.
Sheriff’s office officials stated Taylor was at least four years older than the victim at the time of the offense. Authorities stated no further details will be released because the victim is a juvenile.
Taylor is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center pending court proceedings.