Campus security guard arrested after police find gun

Danette Goulet

CORONA DEL MAR -- A school security guard was arrested this week on

suspicion of possessing a gun at Corona del Mar High School.

James Bradley Holthaus, 36, who has been a security guard at the high

school since September, was arrested by Newport Beach police Wednesday

morning before the start of school.

A student reportedly saw the gun in Holthaus’ car May 1 and reported

it to parents, who in turn alerted authorities, said Newport Beach Police

Sgt. Steve Shulman.

When police searched Holthaus’ Santa Ana home, they found a gun and

its case, which fit the description provided by the student, Shulman

said.

Shulman described the handgun as a .40-caliber semiautomatic Smith and

Wesson.

“We don’t believe it was loaded at the time it was in his car,”

Shulman said.

Holthaus is being held on $10,000 bail until his arraignment at Harbor

Justice Center.

He is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the

investigation, said Jaime Castellanos, assistant superintendent of

secondary education for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

“Obviously having a weapon, loaded or unloaded, is strictly

forbidden,” Castellanos said. “We are looking at some incidents related

to this -- obviously, if we find he is guilty, that would mean the end of

his job.”

Administrators at Corona del Mar were surprised more than afraid, he

added.

“I think [the reaction] was just one of shock,” he said. “They don’t

think these kind of things will happen.”

Castellanos said he is unsure as to why the security guard would have

a gun, considering that it is made clear to employees that only the

school resource officer -- a uniformed police officer -- may do so.

Both school district officials and police shared a theory.

“We think -- it would be speculation on our part -- but we think he

clearly misunderstood his job,” Shulman said.