Teen attacked Orange County school bus driver with kids on board, deputies say

Demario Randolph, 16, faces 3 felony charges

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County deputies say a school bus driver was attacked Tuesday morning while behind the wheel as kids looked on in horror.

Investigators said one suspect, Demario Randolph, 16, is in custody, but two other teenage suspects remain on the run.

The attack happened just before 9 a.m. Tuesday. The driver, Alvin Lanning, had just picked up students at a bus stop on the corner of Pinto Way and Paladin Way in Pine Hills.

According to an Orange County Sheriff's Office report, Lanning told deputies his school bus stop sign was out and red flashing lights were on when a white BMW ignored the warning and whipped by.

After loading up the students, Lanning told investigators he began driving down the street toward Lockhart Middle School when he spotted the white car parked outside a nearby home. The driver then stopped to take down the license plate. That's when a teenager, later identified as Randolph, approached the driver's sliding window, reached in, punched Lanning in the face and stole his glasses.

Lanning told investigators the teenager then jumped back into the BMW and took off. However, it didn't take long for deputies to spot the BMW, and according to the sheriff's office report, the teenage occupants admitted Randolph was the attacker.

Investigators said Lanning also picked him out of a photo line-up.

The 16-year-old is now charged with three felonies including battery on a school employee.

Deputies initially let the two other teenage occupants in the car go. They said it wasn't until later they realized those teens tossed around the victim's glasses and broke them into several pieces. They are now wanted by deputies for charges of grand theft since the glasses were worth an estimated $800.

The entire incident was captured on a school bus surveillance camera. The recording has been turned over to the sheriff's office, but investigators are not releasing the video to the media.

Local 6 has learned the driver was involved in another incident last year where a student chest-bumped him in a threatening manner.


About the Author:

Lisa Bell has been in Central Florida since 2007, covering the big stories that impact our community. Lisa was promoted to News 6 evening news co-anchor in May 2014.

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