Bus driver Joshua Aldana, 28, brought fear to the gates of Lakeview Leadership Academy by brandishing a firearm on school property. Aldana, driving for Keolis, which operates the public transit services in Victor Valley, inexplicably left his bus full of passengers stranded near the school on December 11, then wandered onto the campus while armed and under the influence.
At approximately 11:15 a.m., school authorities took note of Aldana's impaired demeanor and promptly alerted campus security. They were joined by the school resource officer, who subsequently detained Aldana in the school's lobby. The situation escalated quickly as the officer, suspecting narcotic impairment, discovered a loaded 9MM handgun on Aldana during a search. The arrest was then made on multiple charges, including PC 626.9, Possession of a Firearm on a School Campus and H&S 11550(E), Possession of a Firearm While Under the Influence of Narcotics.
Following the apprehension, official communications by the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department confirmed Aldana's booking into the High Desert Detention Center. While his motives for entering the school lobby remain a mystery, the incident has heightened concerns about school safety and the welfare of those aboard the abandoned bus.
The public has been urged to offer assistance by sharing any knowledge of the harrowing event with the Victorville Station at (760) 241-2911, or, for those desiring anonymity, to contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME or visit www.wetip.com, as the community attempts to piece together Aldana's reckless actions that day.
