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Baton Rouge Police said an 11-year-old boy stole a school bus and led them on a chase Sunday morning. Videos of the chase went viral on Twitter and TikTok.
The boy crashed into a tree and a gas line. He was taken into custody and faces charges in juvenile court, WAFB 9 reports. The news outlet reported he took the bus from Progress Head Start. Officials told the station they believe the bus is a push-to-start vehicle.
Scottie Hunter of WAFB shared videos taken by a witnesses of the chase.
VIDEO OF JOYRIDE: The 11-year-old boy is now charged with theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated flight, three counts of aggravated damage to property and aggravated assault after wild joyride in stolen bus. @WAFB
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“SAY WHAAAAT NOW?! Juvenile in custody now after stealing a bus and leading officers on a chase throughout parts of the city, including on Scenic, Airline and Greenwell Springs Road according to @BRPD,” he wrote on Twitter.
The Police Chase Lasted About 30 Minutes & Ended When the Boy Crashed Into a Tree & Gas Line
NEW VIDEO OF WILD JOYRIDE: Man captures video along Government Street with interesting music playing as 11-year-old leads police on chase through #BatonRouge. @WAFB
The bus crashed through a tree and gas line near 1700 Greenwell Springs Road, and the boy was handcuffed. The chase started at about 11 a.m. and lasted about 30 minutes, 4WWL reported. At about 11:30 a.m., the bus hit a tree and crashed into a gas line. Police surrounded the bus and took the boy into custody. There were no injuries reported.
A witness video shows a long line of police cars chasing the school bus through an intersection. Sirens can be heard in the background.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks like somebody has stolen a school bus,” a woman’s voice can be heard saying in the video.
Another video shows the chase from a greater distance. The bus can be seen ahead of police, often bouncing in the road in front of more than a dozen police cars. A man’s voice can be heard chuckling in the video.
“NEW VIDEO OF WILD JOYRIDE: Man captures video along Government Street with interesting music playing as 11-year-old leads police on chase through #BatonRouge,” reporter Scottie Hunter wrote on Twitter.
The Boy Was Taken Into Custody by Baton Rouge Police & Faces Charges in Juvenile Court
Crews are now removing the bus. You can see the damage on it from hitting the tree. Again, homeowners said the child looked okay when he hopped out of the bus @WBRZ
The boy was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated flight, three counts of aggravated damage to property, and aggravated assault, according to WAFB. Police said the bus was taken at about 10:45 a.m. Sunday, October 11, 2020. The aggravated assault charge stems from allegations the boy “purposely trying to strike a vehicle,” WBRZ reported.
The boy’s name has not been released.
Reporter Sydney Kern of WBRZ also shared a video of the school bus being towed from against a tree where it crashed.
“Crews are now removing the bus. You can see the damage on it from hitting the tree. Again, homeowners said the child looked okay when he hopped out of the bus,” she wrote on Twitter.
Damage can be seen to the school bus where the bus hit the tree, just behind the driver’s seat area.
“#update Here’s a closer look at the bus. The homeowners said they saw the kid get out of the bus and he looked okay. Still no confirmation on an age, but the homeowners say the child was very small,” she wrote.
Neighbors told her the boy appeared to be “very small” and that he looked like he was OK when he “hopped” out of the school bus. A witness shared a photo of the boy in handcuffs, which was later deleted.
“this li boy stole a school bus in baton rouge he so little,” the witness wrote on Twitter.
Firefighters were also on the scene to fix the damaged gas line.
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