The man suspected of throwing rocks at the Madera County Courthouse is in jail. Madera County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 29-year old Andrew Biscay at his home on Friday.
Having great surveillance video of a man throwing two large rocks through the front windows of the courthouse two weeks ago was a nice starting point for sheriff's detectives, but it was an anonymous tip through Valley Crime Stoppers that really broke the case open.
"As soon as the tip came in we said if this is the guy, this is the same kid we arrested in 2002," said Erica Stuart of the Madera Co. Sheriff's Department.
Erica Stuart is referring to a then 18-year old Andrew Biscay. He and two friends used slingshots to fire ball bearings through the window of a moving school bus carrying students from Howard Elementary in Madera.
Driver, Jerry Cortez, managed to safely pull over the bus even after being struck in the neck.
"It could have gone south real quickly had it not been for the resolve of that bus driver," said Stuart.
Biscay took a plea deal in the case and received a day in jail as well as probation.
According to jail records, since 2002 Biscay has been convicted 8 times for crimes including: DUI, gun possession and obstruction of justice. So investigators had one of his mugshots to compare to the security video.
"Then of course went to other people who know Andrew and said this is definitely him," said Stuart.
Case closed thanks to a Crime Stoppers tip. The service that offers up to a $1,000, however, Stuart says staying anonymous may actually be the organization's most valuable incentive.
"Knowing that if I call this in and no one knows who I am, I have helped you get him off the street and I can sleep well tonight and so can everybody else in the courts in this case," said Stuart.