FOLEY — A Foley man is in jail after shooting a pellet-gun into a school bus.

According to Baldwin County Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Nolfe, on Wednesday afternoon, 19-year-old Mendrell Dwayne Porter was apprehended after aiming a B.B. gun at a school-bus filled with students as it passed his house and discharged the weapon.

According to Baldwin County Public Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite, that vehicle was bus 0917, which serves Foley Elementary, Middle and High schools and Magnolia School. The incident occurred shortly after students were picked up from Magnolia School.

“The bus had just left the school,” Nolfe said, explaining that as the vehicle passed a house, Porter was seen to have been standing in the yard and brandishing a pellet gun.

The lieutenant said the witnesses recalled that Porter aimed the gun at the bus and fired, with the pellet hitting the side of the bus.

“All the witnesses heard it,” Nolfe said, adding that the bus driver then pulled over and called E-911.

Foley Police were first to arrive on the scene.

“He was trying to stash the weapon,” Nolfe said.

However, he said, Porter soon admitted that he was brandishing the weapon but did not shoot it. Then he said that he was trying to shoot at a bird but the bus got in the way.

“Which isn’t very believable,” Nolfe said.

Nolfe said the school bus was not damaged and the projectile did not hit anyone onboard.

“But if it would have, someone could have gotten hurt,” he said. “We take these things very seriously.”

The case was transferred to Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department, which charged him with the Class-C felony of throwing or shooting an object at an occupied vehicle. Added to it is a parole-violation charge. According to the law-enforcement office, Porter has a previous arrest recorded dating back to 2011. Prior to this incident, Porter’s most recent arrest was two weeks ago when he was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

At press time, Porter remains custody without bond at the Baldwin County Jail in Bay Minette.