A Florida man has been arrested after stealing a school bus in Pennsylvania, leading police on a chase and allegedly telling them he was driving home with a dead deer to fertilize his garden, authorities said.
Tony Jay Saunders Jr., 26, of Port St. Lucie, was arrested and charged with fleeing police, resisting arrest, and receiving stolen property. He was also charged with reckless driving, according to police.
On Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at around 7:10 AM, Officers received a phone call at the Carroll Township Police Station regarding a stolen school bus observed in the Dillsburg Area.
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The school bus had been reported stolen in Abbottstown, PA .The stolen school bus had been reported to the Gettysburg PA State Police earlier in the morning and a “Be On The Lookout” had been broadcast to agencies with special attention to York and Adams County. Information had been provided that the bus had “Lincoln Coachlines” written on the side and had a bus number of 0877.
Officers caught up to the bus driving North in the area of the Mechanicsburg/Bowmansdale exit on Route 15. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the school bus, and the bus eventually pulled over near the junction of the PA Turnpike.
The bus nearly immediately pulled away and continued to drive North on Route 15, winding in and out of traffic lanes. After passing the exit for Lower Allen Dr. the bus exited the highway and drove over a berm, nearly overturning the bus.
The bus continued to drive onto Gettysburg Rd. in Lower Allen Township where it turned into a nearby neighborhood.
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Saunders fled on foot through a wooded area after leaving the bus behind.
Nearby bystanders provided a physical description of the male, wearing a black sweatshirt.
While searching the area of nearby railroad tracks with Lower Allen Officers, Saunders ran from police and was apprehended a short time later.
As Saunders fled from Police, he led them through parking lots and a busy traffic areas which had vehicles entering and exiting businesses.
Police say Saunders stripped his clothing as he fled from Police and, after being apprehended in the nude, admitted to taking the bus earlier in the day after crashing a BMW vehicle.
Saunders was charged with a felony count of fleeing from police, the Gettysburg Times reported.
He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of evading arrest on foot; a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment; and one summary count of driving without lights to avoid arrest, disregarding traffic lanes, and trespass by motor vehicle.
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