A 20-year-old Mahopac man has been indicted on felony weapons charges and multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly pointing a handgun at the driver of a school bus carrying three special needs children on the Taconic State Parkway.
Michael Alarcon was arraigned Wednesday, July 15, in Westchester County Court on a nine-count indictment charging him with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree menacing, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Judge Melissa Loehr presided over the arraignment. Alarcon remains free on bail and is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 14.
According to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, the incident occurred Feb. 4 while Alarcon was driving on the Taconic State Parkway in the town of Mount Pleasant. Prosecutors allege he pointed what appeared to be a pistol at the driver of a school bus transporting three young special needs children.
Police later located Alarcon driving the vehicle and recovered a loaded Walther P22 .22-caliber handgun from a duffel bag on the front passenger seat, authorities said. The firearm was equipped with a green laser and a weapon-mounted light, and its serial number had been defaced, making it unreadable.
“The defendant’s alleged actions in this case were egregious,” Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said in a statement. “The fact that the victims in this incident were special needs children only amplifies the recklessness. Thankfully, he was quickly apprehended by police, and no one was injured.”
The case was investigated by the New York State Police and is being prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Kevin Jones and Alexandra Petrullo.
Article provided by Westchester County DA's Office
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