Teenager will face charges as adult in bus hijacking case

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2002 | 9:44 a.m.

A Pahrump teenager who will turn 16 next month will be tried as an adult on charges of hijacking a school bus and leading police on a high-speed chase in April.

Freddie Blodgett III could face more than 50 years in prison if convicted of robbery, grand larceny and assault with a deadly weapon charges, Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett said.

Beckett said Blodgett walked onto the school bus with a Samurai sword on April 29 and wielded it above his head in order to force the bus driver out of the vehicle. He then led police on a chase from Pahrump into California.

Although the boy has no criminal history, Beckett said the nature of the crimes convinced him the boy should be treated as an adult.

Beckett and defense attorney Harry Gensler spent 90 minutes arguing the matter before District Judge Robert Lane on Monday.

Lane ended up agreeing with Beckett despite the fact the Nye County Juvenile Probation Department recommended the teen be tried as a juvenile.

Gensler was unavailable for comment Monday and this morning.

Not only did the boy sharpen the stolen sword and replace its handle, but Blodgett also had a computer-generated map of the school that showed where he planned to set off explosive devices, Beckett said.

The boy also discussed ramming the bus into propane tanks at the school or wrapping ammunition around the tanks in an effort to blow up the school, Beckett said. He had planned to use the bus as a getaway vehicle, but instead ended up taking the bus over right away.

"It's a mystery as to why," Beckett said. "He wasn't able to explain that."

The lack of a cohesive plan, Beckett said "makes him that much more dangerous and impulsive."

"We argued that it was a miracle that no one was killed," during the chase down a narrow road with no shoulders, Beckett said.

Beckett said two brothers arrested within a few days of Blodgett and charged with participating in the plot will be tried as juveniles.

"We examined the case thoroughly and decided they were only involved peripherally and they are not a danger to the community," Beckett said.

Beckett said a preliminary hearing date will be scheduled in Pahrump Justice Court within the next week or two.