A Maryland man was arrested after he allegedly stole a privately owned school bus and drove it through a red light before striking a curb, reported Yahoo news.
According to the news report, officers first noticed the school bus at approximately 10:30 a.m. July 19 after the driver allegedly failed to stop at a red light at an intersection in Waldorf, Maryland.
Officers reportedly initiated a traffic stop. As the driver pulled the school bus over, he struck a curb and caused damage to the front of the vehicle. The extent of the damage was not immediately disclosed.
When officers approached the school bus, they reportedly found the driver alone inside. No passengers or students were on board the bus at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported. The driver was identified as 34-year-old Joseph Andrew Townsend of Waldorf.
Investigators accuse Townsend of entering a privately owned school bus lot, locating the keys to one of the buses and driving away with the vehicle. Officials did not identify the company that owns the bus or disclose where the lot was located.
It was also unclear how long the bus had been missing before officers spotted it or whether the vehicle had been reported stolen before the traffic stop. Townsend was reportedly arrested and charged with theft of property valued at more than $25,000. He was held without bond following his arrest. The investigation remained ongoing.
Written with the assistance of AI.
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