School system investigating bus driver after 14-year-old charged with felony theft
This video is no longer available.
NORTH JACKSON, Tenn. — A 14-year-old is charged with felony theft for allegedly stealing a school bus. The school district says one of their bus drivers left the keys inside a parked bus outside of North Side High School. Police say the juvenile drove about 20 miles on I-40 East before being pulled over by Tennessee Highway Patrol. “We know he was running away from home, and we know he has family in the Middle Tennessee area. I can’t tell you that’s where he was headed, but he was going that direction,” said Captain Tyreece Miller with the Jackson Police Department. No damage has been reported to nearby property or other vehicles, according to police. “He could’ve really seriously hurt somebody in a big old school bus. You need to know how to stop that thing,” said Jackson resident Emanuel Bond. Bus drivers are required to keep keys on them or use a lock box, according to Ginger Carver with the Jackson-Madison County School District. “I’m sure all drivers will be refreshed on the importance of not leaving their keys in their bus and making sure they’re secured each time they leave the bus,” Carver said. The school district is doing an internal investigation and would not identify the bus driver. They did tell us the driver has worked with the district for four years and is still employed. According to Juvenile Court Judge Christy Little, the teen has been placed on house arrest.
