One in Custody Following Pursuit of Stolen School Bus

The pursuit started around 10 AM in the Batesville area.

Photo by Indiana State Police.

(Batesville, Ind.) – Multiple agencies joined a pursuit of a stolen school bus in southeastern Indiana. 

According to Indiana State Police – Versailles Post dispatch, an unknown subject stole a Universal Transportation Services bus on Tuesday morning.

The information was transferred from Hamilton County to Indiana State Police around 10:00 a.m. The owner of the bus told police that a male subject "got on the bus and took off." 

Multiple agencies were dispatched to Interstate 74 westbound near Batesville where they came into contact with the bus. The pursuit continued into Decatur County. 

The suspect, who was the lone occupant, avoided multiple stop sticks and eventually passed through a cornfields. During the pursuit, the driver of the bus struck at least one police vehicle and forced another off the roadway, according to dispatch. 

The stop sticks were eventually successful and the bus was stopped at gunpoint in a field west of State Road 9 just south of Shelbyville around 11:18 a.m. 

The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. 

ISP Sgt. Stephen Wheeles provided the following statement via Facebook:

"A pursuit of a stolen school bus this morning in Decatur and Shelby Counties has come to a safe conclusion with a suspect in custody. Multiple police vehicles and property were damaged during the pursuit. There were no injuries. I am on scene and will have more information shortly."