Teen admits assaulting follow student on school bus

A Carbon County teenage girl admitted on Tuesday afternoon to assaulting a fellow student on a school bus.

Aliza Lammone Jackson, 18, of Lehighton, pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault before county Judge Steven R. Serfass.

As part of a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office, the sentence imposed will be in the aggravated range of sentencing guidelines. In exchange for her plea the commonwealth dropped a count of aggravated assault, a felony 1.

The incident occurred on Sept. 26, 2019, on a Carbon Career and Technical Institute bus. Jackson admitted attacking another student on the bus, banging his head of a window on the bus and striking him a total of 22 times. The incident occurred at Mahoning Street and Indian Lane in Lehighton.

The victim told the court he still suffers from the injuries sustained, including severe headaches. He said the headaches become more intense when riding the bus and doing other activities. He said the pain is “excruciating” at times. He asked for a long prison term to be imposed.

Serfass said under state sentencing guidelines Jackson faces a minimum prison term of four months.

Serfass deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report. He also noted there is a question concerning restitution due the victim which he said the district attorney’s office must investigate.