Katrina Hero Arrested on Heroin Charges

foxnews.com ^ | 11/26/05

[Ellesu]

NEW ORLEANS — An Algiers man hailed by some as a hero for commandeering a school bus the day after Hurricane Katrina to take 60 stranded residents to safety in Houston has been arrested on drug charges where his bus journey began: the Fischer public housing complex. Jabar Gibson, 20, who garnered a movie deal and national attention as the renegade bus driver, was booked Friday with possession with intent to distribute heroin after police stopped his rental car for allegedly driving erratically, New Orleans police said. Gibson and another man, Gary Burnett, were traveling near the public housing complex about 12:30 p.m. when they veered slightly and nearly struck the police cruiser of officers Michael Pierce and Cory McKain, Pierce said. The officers pursued the men's car. the suspects stopped it and ran toward the apartment complex, tossing what police said were drugs on the ground. They were quickly caught. Gibson became a national figure when he stole an Orleans Parish School bus to rescue himself and his neighbors the day after Katrina struck.

[RGVTx]

That's a shame. From Hero to Zero.

[ncountylee]

Can't get out of the way of stupid.

[synbad600]

Gee, do you think his criminal history and future will be portrayed in the movie?

[RedMonqey]

The only guy in this whole mess who took REAL initiative and I could look up to turns out to be a junkie.


Shhhsssssh! I am depressed (but not surprised)

[sit-rep]

he was always a zero... The media just bumped him up because with all the negative black publicity in the early hours of the Katrina disaster, they needed a black hero. They yanked this guy in, put him on a pedestal, and now, once again, the media falls silent....

[FerdieMurphy]

Jabar

Muslim?

[H. Paul Pressler IV]

I bet he was framed by Mayor Nagin and the Corrupt NOPD who he made look bad when he saved all those people's lives.

[sassbox]

Very sad, very disappointing. He obviously has some courage and resourcefulness - it's a shame he can't channel that to get his life together and turn away from crime and drugs.

[No Blue States]

He saved a few people with bus he stole, killed others with the heroin he sold.

[ChefKeith]

Interesting BTTT (very possible)

[No Blue States]

"Two weeks before the storm, on Aug. 18, authorities said Gibson led police on a highspeed chase that ended with a wreck and left four officers injured. He was charged with possession of stolen property and resisting arrest by flight.

Gibson's police record also includes charges of aggravated assault, crack possession with intent to distribute and possession of a stolen car."

[calrighty]

N.O. not worth rebuilding.

[deport]

The dude's just following his life style from which he came... He wasn't clean when commandeer the bus.. The below event happened just over a month prior to Katrina.

Thursday, August 18, 2005
New Orleans -- Today, New Orleans Police have arrested 20-year-old Jabar Gibson and 22-year-old Otis Louis and booked them with possession of a stolen automobile and other offenses after officers spotted them inside of a stolen vehicle. The incident began at West Lake Drive and I-10 Service Road, in New Orleans East.

He was on probation prior to the above offense.

[No Blue States]

Even after his previous convictions and reputation, he could have turned his foolish life around with his book deal had he stayed clean.

Selling herion ruins lives and now I question the whole hero story too.

[ol' hoghead]

Sic transit gloria mundi.

[mac_truck]

Murphy

Irish?

[deport]

Selling herion ruins lives and now I question the whole hero story too.

---

I think the story of him commandeering the bus and driving to Houston is legit. In fact I think the local news media had him on tv when the bus arrived at the Dome. The arrival was unexpected and was ahead of what they were looking for in the scheduled buses. Now how he knew to head to Houston and the Dome I don't know other than word on the street in New Orleans.

[FerdieMurphy]

Hebrew.