A routine Thursday morning bus stop in Citrus Springs turned tense when a parent allegedly flashed a handgun at a school bus driver and told her it was her “lucky day,” according to deputies. The school resource deputy at Citrus Springs Elementary reported the confrontation, and investigators say bus audio and video captured the whole exchange.
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office says deputies were called just before 8:15 a.m. to a designated bus stop at North Velvet Terrace and West Bromin Court. Investigators say Otoniel Carlos O'Valle, known locally as "Oto," pulled up in a Chevy Blazer, walked to the open door of the bus and confronted the driver. According to Tampa Bay 28, CCSO says O'Valle took an all-black handgun from his waistband, asked if the woman behind the wheel was the regular driver and, after learning she was a substitute, slid the gun into his front pocket.
Ocala police later arrested O'Valle on a Citrus County warrant. He faces felony counts of possession of a firearm on school property and aggravated assault on a public transit employee.
“Anyone who threatens or brings harm toward a Citrus County school, its staff, or our children will face an immediate and uncompromising response from law enforcement,” Sheriff David Vincent said. That statement, along with the agency's account of the incident, was shared with reporters who viewed the bus footage, per Tampa Bay 28.
School-stop rules and charges
Under Florida law, a school bus stop is treated as an extension of school property. State statutes make it a crime to exhibit or possess a weapon at a school-sponsored event, on school grounds, on a school bus or at a school bus stop. Florida Statute §790.115 classifies the willful possession or exhibition of a firearm on school property as a third-degree felony in most situations, with limited exceptions for law enforcement and approved programs. The statute text and penalties are listed by the Florida Senate.
School response and next steps
The initial report came from a school resource deputy assigned to Citrus Springs Elementary. CCSO’s School Resource Officer program assigns deputies to each school to provide rapid response and prevention services. Details on the program and contact information are available through the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
