12-Year-Old Charged with Throwing Deadly Missile from School Bus

A 12-year-old boy was arrested Thursday and charged with throwing a deadly missile after authorities say he threw a Gatorade bottle from a school bus.

According the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, the Weightman Middle School student "intentionally and maliciously" threw the nearly full bottle from the window while the bus was in motion at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, near Overpass and McKendree roads in Wesley Chapel.

The bottle struck and shattered another vehicle's windshield, causing injury to the vehicle's passenger, according to the arrest report.

The responding deputy spoke to three student witnesses and observed the bus video, in which the deputy observed the student telling another student to put the window down. The boy then put the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head and tossed the bottle through the window, the report stated.

The student, whose name is being withheld due to his age, admitted to throwing the bottle. He was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Land O' Lakes and charged with throwing a deadly missile and criminal mischief.