An abandoned vehicle and recovered firearm led to a lockdown at an Orange County middle school and, ultimately, the arrest of a Wake County man on Wednesday.

A release from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said 47-year-old Joseph Patrick Osborne faces a charge of having a weapon on educational property, which is a Class G felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of first degree trespassing and injury to real property. An investigation began around 9 a.m. after the staff at A.L. Stanback Middle School in Hillsborough saw an abandoned vehicle near the multi-purpose field on campus and notified the School Resource Officer. Upon further examination, according to the sheriff’s office, the car had crash damage from hitting a security fence near the field and the SRO later found a firearm in a case hidden near the vehicle.

Because of the discovery, school officials locked down the A.L. Stanback campus to search the buildings and property as a precaution, clearing the lockdown after 11 a.m. after “the search verified no unauthorized people were on campus,” said the sheriff’s office. Later, an examination of security footage led law enforcement to see the vehicle arrive at the school property at 12:25 a.m. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s release said they later learned the driver was picked up from a nearby business at 1:36 a.m.

Osborne was arrested by the SRO upon his return to the school grounds Wednesday afternoon when he came to retrieve his car, according to the statement. At the time, Osborne admitted to being impaired during the crash and believing he was leaving the vehicle at a park instead of a school.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood credited the school resource officer for the campus for his handling of the incident and the A.L. Stanback community for their cooperation on Wednesday.

“This investigation began when school staff noticed something unusual this morning and contacted our first line of defense – the SRO – who took the matter seriously and searched the area around the damaged vehicle,” said the sheriff. “I am extremely proud of his diligence and the resulting response of our patrol deputies and investigators. They kept the safety of students and staff top of mind as they worked to determine what happened. As always, we are grateful for our excellent relationships with school staff and district administrators.”

Osborne, who is a Wake County resident, is slated to make his first court appearance on the charges on Thursday at 2 p.m.

 

Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

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