‘Heroic’ witnesses stopped driver from hitting students at bus stop, Florida cops say

A driver who tried running down three students at a bus stop and attacked a fourth student was stopped by “heroic” witnesses, according to Florida investigators.

No injuries were reported among the students, but suspect Arthur James Young, 59, endedup in a hospital, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

A 911 caller reported the “bizarre and harrowing” incident happened around 8:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22, on Mills Street in Eustis, the sheriff’s office said. Eustis is about a 40-mile drive northwest from Orlando.

“Young attempted to run over three middle-school-aged juveniles as they waited at their bus stop but was unsuccessful. The complainant intervened to protect those children,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Young fled and ultimately encountered a female (also in middle school) walking to the bus stop in the area of Church Street. He then allegedly exited his black Dodge Ram pickup and physically grabbed and attacked the teenager.”

Witnesses saw a man holding the girl down “attempting to choke her,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Other citizens came to assist, one of whom fired two gunshots as a warning in order to stop the attack,” the sheriff’s office said.

Young was arrested minutes later and taken to a hospital for evaluation. Jail records show he was discharged the same day and is now at the Lake County jail.

He has been charged with three counts of felony aggravated assault, one count of felony kidnapping and one count of felony child abuse, jail records show.

“The immediate and heroic actions of the complainant and other residents in the area likely saved lives,” the sheriff’s office said.

This story was originally published November 25, 2024 at 1:25 PM with the headline "‘Heroic’ witnesses stopped driver from hitting students at bus stop, Florida cops say."