N. Fayette man threatens school bus, is arrested

0
521

A north Fayette County man was charged with disrupting public schools after making threatening statements that he would do “whatever he had to do” about a school bus making noise in front of his home during morning pick-up times.

Rolin Isaacs, 58, was charged with disrupting public schools, a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature, said Sheriff Barry Babb. 

Babb said his office on Friday, Oct. 24 investigated a complaint from the Fayette County School System’s transportation department. Transportation staff had received numerous complaints from Rolin Isaacs who resides on Robinwood Court in the gated Legacy Hills subdivision off Ga. Highway 314, Babb said.

Babb said Isaacs was upset over the noise made by the school bus when picking up children between 6:40 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. which interfered with his sleep.

“Mr. Isaacs sent email and left voice mail for the transportation staff that he could not take it anymore and would use his vehicle to block the bus from coming down his street,” Babb said. “Mr. Isaacs described himself as mentally unstable and would do what a mentally unstable person does. Mr. Isaacs further stated he did not care if he was arrested or shot, he was going to do what he had to do.”

Babb said deputies made sure children were delivered safely Friday afternoon as investigators sought a warrant for Isaacs.

Babb said Isaacs was located and arrested Oct. 26 when he arrived at the sheriff’s office inquiring as to why deputies were looking for him.

“The voice mails and email were disturbing and initially the judge decided to issue a warrant for domestic terrorism from the threats against the school system bus operation. The district attorney’s office on Oct. 27 reduced the charge to disrupting public schools,” Babb said. “In this day and age we can’t take chances. After reading the emails and listening to the voice mails, he made me believe he would be out there Monday morning as he promised to block that street and who knows what else. It may be rhetoric to him but we take threats that could put lives in jeopardy very seriously.”

“Our first priority is keeping our students and staff safe,” said School Superintendent Jody Barrow. “Our school buses are now stopping outside of the Legacy Hills subdivision to ensure the safety of our students and drivers until the situation can be resolved.”