Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Suspect in bus intrusion charged

The man allegedly stole backpacks from children he believed were smuggling drugs.

By Jim Haley
Herald Writer

 A Lake Stevens-area man who allegedly forced his way onto a loaded school bus Friday morning and stole two children's backpacks was charged Tuesday with two counts of second- degree robbery and a pair of other felonies.

A judge Tuesday increased bail for James Dale Gilligan to $250,000.

Deputy prosecutor Craig Matheson asked for significantly higher bail for Gilligan, who had been held over the weekend on $60,000 bond. Gilligan told police he was trying to stop grade-school children from smuggling drugs.

The "defendant is clearly a danger to the community at large, based on his actions" on Friday, Matheson said in charging papers. Police found three knives on him, and Gilligan "made cryptic comments as what he intended to use them for," Matheson said.

When police asked Gilligan why he had accosted the school children, Gilligan told officers that his dog — a poodle named Peaches — told him the youngsters were carrying drugs in their backpacks, Matheson said. He also told officers that the knives he carried were "to take care of them drug smugglers," Matheson wrote.

Gilligan also was charged Tuesday with one count of third-degree assault for allegedly kicking and biting two Snohomish County sheriff's deputies, and one count of malicious mischief for kicking out a side window of a patrol car while being brought to jail.

According to documents, Gilligan first accosted a 10-year-old boy at a bus stop in the 3700 block of 99th Drive SE. He took the boy's backpack and then drove off, charging papers said.

Gilligan followed the bus, forced his way onto it at the next stop, and confronted a 10-year-old girl. He allegedly took her backpack, and at first told the bus driver he wasn't going to leave until the police came "because students on the bus were dealing drugs," Matheson said.

When told the police had already been called, Gilligan left. He was arrested at his home after several witnesses reported the incident and got the license number of his truck, Matheson said.

Gilligan told deputies he had smoked methamphetamine earlier that day to "help me find the drugs easier," Matheson said.

According to documents, Gilligan has numerous felony convictions, including theft, burglary, assault and drug possession, documents said. He also has 20 misdemeanor convictions.



Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or jhaley@heraldnet.com.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA