DAPHNE, Ala. — Hill Pearce III, 66, sits behind bars at the Baldwin County Corrections Center for allegedly photographing Daphne High School students and for carrying firearms on March 11.

Pearce, of McIntosh, Ala., was charged with one count of trespassing and one count of criminal surveillance, both misdemeanors; one count of promoting prison contraband and five counts of bringing a dangerous weapon on school grounds, which are felonies, according to Daphne police Lt. Jud Beedy.

School staff members had seen Pearce photographing students about five minutes before school dismissal, according to Baldwin County Board of Education spokesperson Terry Wilhite.

“He was seen near the buses taking pictures with a digital camera,” Wilhite said.

Administrators then brought Pearce inside the school; he said he was there to pick up a relative; Wilhite confirmed the child was his relative. Still, Pearce was not an approved transporter for the student, so staff members grew suspicious and called police.

“If you’re not on the approved pick-up list, you can’t get them (students),” Beedy said.

LuckiIy, safety measures were in place, because Pearce had brought more than a camera to the school.

“Police questioned him and around 4:30 (p.m.) they found guns in his possession,” Wilhite said, adding that four weapons were in Pearce’s vehicle; one was in his boot.

“When the guns were found, school had long been dismissed. That’s why there was no lockdown.”

The incident — which arose to wider attention just this week — didn’t warrant parent notification, Wilhite said.

“Typically we use our Notify Me (mass e-mail communication system) when there’s a lockdown or interruption of school events. This didn’t interrupt school,” he said “The next day was a normal school day.”

Wilhite said the situation couId have been worse, but school staff reacted correctly.

“It’s certainly a scary incident,” he said. “The good news is that the administrators and the team at the school handled the scenario flawlessly. According to Daphne PD, they complemented them (administrators) and we certainly appreciate the rapid response by the police to this need.”

He said he’d like something positive to come of the situation.

“We still have only a fraction of our parents who have signed up for that service (Notify Me),” he said. “We hope that through these incidents the word will get out.”