Calexico police stop suspect from stealing a farm labor bus

A suspect is behind bars after trying to steal a farm labor bus in Calexico on Friday.

Suspect Filiberto Galvan tried driving off with farm labor bus but was unable to disengage the breaks, according to Calexico Police Department.

Enedina Payan, Office Manager for El Don Farm Labor, said, “The mechanic went to the office and told me ‘call the police ’cause there’s a guy in the bus we cannot get him down’.”

Calexico police said Galvan was armed and dangerous.

“When we arrived, the individual was still in the bus. We encountered him, we made contact with him. He had barricaded himself inside the bus. Locked himself in. He was armed with an ice pick and several knives. We negotiated with him and tried to get him to surrender. But he just refused,” said Officer Miguel Carbajal.

Calexico police are prepared to handle these types of situations.

Carbajal said, “So the situation, even though it is uncommon, it is something we train for.”

When the suspect refused to cooperate, law enforcement jumped into action.

“After several minutes of him refusing, he attempted to flee again with the bus and at that point, we decided that the risk for public safety was too great and we decided to force entry into the bus and subdue him,” Carbajal added.

Thankfully no one was hurt.

Payan said, “He could’ve taken the bus and got…who knows could’ve happened. So it was a great thing that they got here and got him out.”

Galvan was booked into Imperial County Jail and was charged with attempted theft of a vehicle and resisting arrest among other charges.

His bail is set at $5,000 and a court date has yet to be determined.