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Posted on Sat, Feb 12, 2011 : 5:59 a.m.

Tae kwon do instructor facing new sexual assault, child pornography charges

By Lee Higgins

A former tae kwon doe instructor accused of sexually assaulting a boy last month on I-94 near Chelsea was charged Thursday with sexually assaulting another boy seven years ago and possessing child pornography.

Edward James Bruner, 58, of Scio Township, was arraigned Thursday in 14A-1 District Court on one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of possessing child sexually abusive material.

Edward-James-Bruner.jpg

Edward James Bruner

Bruner already is facing charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and second-degree criminal sexual conduct. He is being held at the Washtenaw County Jail without bond, jail officials said Friday.

Michigan State Police troopers said Bruner was arrested the night of Jan. 16 after motorists allegedly spotted him driving on I-94 near Chelsea while sexually assaulting a boy. At the time, Bruner was an instructor at Kitchi Tae Kwon Do in Dexter Township, where the 12-year-old victim was a student of his, troopers said.

Two days after the arrest, police executed a search warrant at Bruner's home off Jackson Road and recovered child pornography, Trooper Todd Etue said.

The second victim, now 19, recently came forward, alleging Bruner sexually assaulted him at a Chelsea home on one occasion in 2004, Etue said. At that time, Bruner was teaching at Ann Arbor West Tae Kwon Do in Scio Township, where the victim was a student of his, Det. Sgt. Dale Smith said.

According to court records, Bruner's wife of more than 34 years has filed for divorce. Bruner is scheduled to return to court Feb. 24 for a preliminary hearing.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

Editor's note: This story was updated to add the name of the tae kwon do studio where Edward Bruner was teaching in 2004.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.

Comments

Stefanie Murray

Mon, Feb 14, 2011 : 7:05 p.m.

@DBH, yes, Lee added that information to the story: "Bruner was teaching at Ann Arbor West Tae Kwon Do in Scio Township, where the victim was a student of his, Det. Sgt. Dale Smith said."

DBH

Mon, Feb 14, 2011 : 5:03 p.m.

Thanks, Stefanie. I see that the story has now been amended (though there is no header to the effect that the story has been revised with additional information) that Mr. Bruner had taught at Ann Arbor West Tae Kwon Do in Scio Township in 2004.

Stefanie Murray

Mon, Feb 14, 2011 : 4:18 p.m.

@DBH and @Bill, I sent your question on to Lee Higgins on Sunday, who said he planned to follow up to determine the name of the studio you are referencing. He'll post a comment as soon as he can track down and verifies that info.

DBH

Sun, Feb 13, 2011 : 11:39 p.m.

Stefanie, the article above (4th paragraph) states that Bruner was working at the Kitchi Tae Kwan Do studio in Dexter Township the night he was arrested on 1/16/11. In the 6th paragraph of the article above, it states that Bruner was teaching at an **Ann Arbor** martial arts studio in 2004 when he allegedly sexually assaulted the (now 19 y/o) most current complainant. The commenters (and I) would like to know at what Ann Arbor studio was he working in **2004** when he allegedly sexually assaulted the complainant at a home in Chelsea, as the article above states. Thanks.

Bill

Mon, Feb 14, 2011 : 1:03 p.m.

Stefanie, answer the question?

Stefanie Murray

Sun, Feb 13, 2011 : 10:52 p.m.

@InsideTheHall and @Bill, we have named the studio where this man worked in previous articles, it's Kitchi Tae Kwon Do in Dexter Township: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/ann-arbor-tae-kwon-do-instructor-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-12-year-old-on-freeway-near-chelse/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/ann-arbor-tae-kwon-do-instructor-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-12-year-old-on-freeway-near-chelse/</a>

Bill

Sun, Feb 13, 2011 : 9:50 p.m.

Ann Arbor martial arts studio? And the name is... As a parent I'd like to know now!

Garden Goddess

Sun, Feb 13, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.

This man is a user and has used people and organizations for years as a means to his ends. Please do not let his terrible actions reflect upon those he used and affiliated himself with for his own sick purposes.

Ricebrnr

Sun, Feb 13, 2011 : 1:52 p.m.

It would be interesting to find out if his martial arts skills will trump down and dirty ztreet fighting in prison for the alleged child molester

RJA

Sun, Feb 13, 2011 : 12:45 a.m.

Keep searching, likely to find more. Smart move on the wifes part. I hope she wins the Lotto after the divorce is final. Whether she does or not, she is the winner in this case.

Tom Joad

Sat, Feb 12, 2011 : 4:03 p.m.

At least he'll have a fighting chance in prison

InsideTheHall

Sat, Feb 12, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.

Please name the Ann Arbor studio that you reference in your story.