A Nebraska teacher who is reportedly married to a Harvard-educated Department of Defense employee was arrested over the weekend for having sexual relations with a teen student.
At around 3 a.m. Saturday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Uniformed Services Bureau received a 911 call of a suspicious vehicle, according to a press release shared by the Omaha Scanner Facebook account.
USA Today reported that Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson confirmed the incident. He said that deputies responded to a call that brought them to a dead-end road in the Elkorn neighborhood on the western side of Omaha, Neb.
When they arrived, authorities found two individuals in the backseat of a gray 2015 Honda Pilot.
“One subject quickly accessed the driver seat and drove the vehicle northbound away from deputies until the vehicle crashed into a yard approximately two blocks away,” said the press release. “The driver, a teenage male, fled on foot wearing no clothes. He was not initially located.”
However, deputies were able to contact the second occupant, identified as 45-year-old Erin Ward, who worked as a substitute teacher at Omaha Public Schools. She admitted to having sexual intercourse with the driver of the vehicle, who she indicated was a 17-year-old student at Burke High School.
Authorities determined that the vehicle was owned by Ward and her spouse. According to the Daily Mail, her husband is William “Douglas” Ward, a high-ranking U.S. government employee who has worked for the Department of Defense for close to two decades. The New York Post also reported the relationship, and both outlets cited social media posts from Twitter and LinkedIn.
Per the Daily Mail, Ward’s husband was appointed deputy director of the Commander’s Action Group and Senior Nuclear Deterrence Advisor at the United States Strategic Command in February. He attended Harvard Extension School in 2021 with a master’s degree in political science and government, said the outlet.
According to the Journal of Information Warfare, Doug Ward has served as the deputy chief of the Global Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Capabilities Branch in the Global ISR and Space Division, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
“In this capacity, he provides timely, critical and relevant advocacy information on current and future ISR and Missile Warning warfighter requirements,” said the journal. “Mr. Ward served as a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer for two years as a Chemical and Biological Warfare Intelligence Analyst at U.S. Strategic Command prior to continuing service as a Department of the Air Force Civilian. In 2002, Mr. Ward was selected for the Legislative Studies Fellowship program supporting the U.S. Air Force in the Senate Liaison Office and the Air Force Legislative Liaison Weapons Division, graduating in 2003.”
Two years later, he returned to U.S. Strategic Command as a lead program analyst in the Global Space and ISR Division. Doug Ward was also “handpicked by senior executive board to be a Leadership Fellow in a graduate-level program between U.S. Strategic Command and the University of Nebraska focused on enhancing demonstrated leadership skills and posturing Fellows for senior responsibilities in the Department of Defense.”
The New York Post reported that he “has a long educational history,” with degrees from the University of Illinois, Bellevue University, and doctorate studies at Missouri State University, citing his LinkedIn.
The Daily Mail reported that the Wards live in the town of Gretna, just outside of Omaha, with three teenage children.
Eventually, deputies also located the teen male victim found with Erin Ward. He was discovered wearing only boxers, a T-shirt and socks, and was transported to a safe place to be interviewed.
“Minor medical attention was provided to both Ward and the victim, resulting from the minor crash and the flight on foot,” per the press release.
KETV News in Omaha published the following statement from Burke principal Darren Rasmussen:
"We are writing to share that law enforcement has arrested a metro-area substitute teacher for inappropriate conduct with a minor. The individual worked at Burke High several days during the 2023-24 school year. They will not be returning to our school or any others in our district.
Our top priority is always the safety and well-being of the students we serve. We take this most seriously. Counselors will be available on Tuesday for students in need of support. If you are ever concerned about inappropriate behavior, please call Child Protective Services at 1-800-652-1999 or contact law enforcement."
Ward was booked into the Douglas County Department of Corrections and charged with one count of felony sexual abuse by a school employee and it appeared that she was still in custody as of Tuesday based on jail records available online. She faces up to 20 years in state prison if she is convicted, said Law & Crime.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.