Student arrested after joyride in stolen school bus, Oklahoma cops say
A student accused of hopping behind the wheel of a school bus and taking it on a joyride has been arrested, according to Oklahoma authorities.
Police got a call Tuesday, Nov. 30, about a bus that was taken from the parking lot at Stillwater High School, FOX23 News reported. Witnesses recalled seeing the bus as it pulled away from the school.
The student, who wasn’t identified publicly, was able to access the vehicle after someone left the keys inside, according to KOCO-TV, citing a letter sent to parents. School administrators contacted police who learned the bus was headed northbound.
“An officer located the bus a few minutes later, driving on Lakeview Road,” Stillwater police spokesperson Kyle Bruce told the Stillwater News Press.
Police initiated a traffic stop, and the teen was arrested without incident. Officers said he drove around for about 20 minutes, KOCO-TV reported.
McClatchy News reached out to Stillwater Public Schools on Thursday, Dec. 2, and is awaiting a response.
“The SPS Administration does not tolerate theft and will discipline any student who engages in theft in accordance with the district policy,” administrators wrote in a letter to parents, KOCO reported. “No one was hurt or injured...and we are thankful for the quick response and action by the school resource officer, Stillwater Police Department and students.”
“We take the safety and security of all students and staff as our number one priority,” the letter concluded.
The stolen school bus was later returned to the school, according to the Stillwater News Press.
Stillwater is about 70 miles west of Tulsa.
This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Student arrested after joyride in stolen school bus, Oklahoma cops say."