Man threatens school bus driver with knife

SAN DIEGO — A man barged onto a school bus full of children in Campo, east of San Diego, and pulled a knife on the driver before witnesses dragged him away Friday, a sheriff ’s official said.

Nearby parents and an older child on the bus helped the children escape safely out the back emergency door.

Deputies arrived in time to take Matthew D. Barker, 37, of Campo, into custody, sheriff ’s Sgt. William Uelen said in a statement.

No children or any of the adults were injured, Uelen said.

Barker was to be jailed on a felony charge of assault.

Uelen said students from Campo Elementary School had just gotten onto their bus as usual about shortly before 8:30 a.m. in front of an apartment complex on Jeb Stuart Road.

A man ran toward the bus just as the driver started pulling away. The driver stopped, thinking it was a parent trying to hold the bus for a child running late, Uelen said.

The driver opened the bus door, but when the man began climbing up the bus steps, the driver told him he couldn’t come on board.

Uelen said the man kept boarding anyway and struggled past the driver.

One student’s grandmother saw what was happening and got onto the bus to help the driver.

The intruder pulled a knife, and as a struggle continued, an older student ushered the children toward the back of the bus, Uelen said.

The student called for help, drawing other parents who got the back door open and helped the students out.

Then the driver yelled that a knife was being held to his head, Uelen said. A bystander jumped in, pried the knife out of the man’s hand and pulled him off the bus.

Uelen said the man did not struggle with deputies as they handcuffed him.