Joshua Davis, 38, of Richland, has been found guilty of the 2021 murder of Pasco County school bus driver Richard Lenhart, reported AppleValley News.
Davis, who had reportedly pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, faces a sentencing date that has not yet been set. His defense team indicated they plan to pursue an appeal immediately.
According to the news report, during the trial, experts for both the prosecution and defense agreed that Davis suffered from schizophrenia. However, they disagreed over whether he understood right from wrong at the time of the killing.
Lenhart, 72, had students on board the bus when Davis boarded the bus outside Longfellow Elementary School on Sept. 24, 2021. Davis reportedly asked if the bus was headed to Road 100. When Lenhart said no, Davis stabbed him multiple times before fleeing toward his vehicle. Authorities apprehended Davis near the scene shortly afterward.
According to the article, at least 35 students were on the bus during the attack, though none were physically harmed. Authorities have not identified a motive, and there is no known connection between Davis and Lenhart.
The Pasco School District honored Lenhart’s legacy in 2023 by opening the Richard L. Lenhart Transportation Center, which serves more than 200 buses for the Pasco and Finley school districts. Lenhart’s widow, Nancy, has championed House Bill 2133, known as the Richard Lenhart Act, which would make it a felony to disrupt the normal operation of a public-school bus or unlawfully board one. While the bill did not pass during the 2023–2024 legislative session, Nancy Lenhart expressed her determination to continue advocating for it.
“This bill is too important not to be made into a law,” she said via the report, urging lawmakers to protect school bus drivers and students.
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