WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WDNews) — A Jacksonville man was arrested Wednesday morning after authorities say he tried to gain access to Dune Lakes Elementary School before classes began.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, a school resource deputy requested help from patrol deputies just before 7:30 a.m. after a man wearing a black backpack and riding a scooter attempted to enter the school through the car line.
School employees immediately stopped the man. According to the sheriff’s office, he told employees he was trying to get lunch money to his son.
Employees directed him to the front office, but authorities said he continued riding around inside the campus gates before another employee stopped him.
According to the sheriff’s office, the man then told an employee, “his wife already took care of it,” but later asked another employee where the front office was.
Deputies found the man near the pickleball courts behind the school. Authorities said he initially gave deputies a false name before he was identified as Matthew Ross Patania, 51, of Jacksonville.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said investigators later confirmed Patania does not have a son attending Dune Lakes Elementary School and is not currently married.
Patania was arrested on charges of loitering and prowling, trespassing on school property and giving a false name to a law enforcement officer, according to the sheriff’s office.
He was taken to the Walton County Jail without incident.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains ongoing.