Man arrested for pulling gun at school bus stop

DELTONA, FL – An argument over parking took a dangerous turn when a man allegedly brandished a firearm at a woman and her child in a Deltona neighborhood. The confrontation arose after the woman parked her car on a patch of grass, which the suspect mistakenly claimed as his own.

The incident unfolded when the woman’s 16-year-old son went to pick up his sister from a nearby school bus stop. The mother, Candace Cruz, recounted the frightening moment when 58-year-old Richard Felton allegedly threatened her son, demanding he move the car from the grass.

Felton, reportedly upset, insisted that the area was his property. However, authorities later confirmed that the disputed land actually belongs to the city. Cruz, who has lived in the area for four years without prior issues, was stunned by the sudden aggression.

When Cruz approached Felton’s residence to address the situation, she claims he emerged with a gun, pointing it at both her and her son. “When I saw that gun pointed at me, my heart dropped,” Cruz said, adding that the incident has left her unable to sleep.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene and arrested Felton. He faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated child abuse. Felton has since been released on a $5,000 bond.

The safety of the children at the bus stop was Cruz’s primary concern. In response to the incident, she collaborated with the Volusia County School District to have the bus stop relocated, a move she successfully achieved.

The community remains on edge as residents process the unsettling event. Many are calling for increased vigilance and communication to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Cruz hopes for a resolution that ensures the safety and peace of the neighborhood, emphasizing the importance of protecting the children who gather at the bus stop each day.