NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A 14-year-old has been arrested in Nashville after allegedly stealing a school bus and leading police on a high-speed chase on Saturday afternoon.
According to Metro Nashville Police Department officers, the teenager took the bus from Kipp College Prep on Murfreesboro Pike before driving onto Interstate 40 in West Nashville.
Kipp Nashville officials told NewsChannel 5 it was their understanding that the bus was stolen using a key that did not belong to their buses.
"I said that’s unnatural. I’m from the old school — stealing a school bus," said George Wade.
Wade like many people learned about the crime on the news.
The teenager, who was reportedly in state custody and living in a home in Antioch, hit a diesel fuel pump at Casey's Market on Centennial Boulevard around 4 p.m. It has also been alleged that the teen attempted to run over a person at the market before fleeing the scene.
"That could have ended drastic, could have been drastic. When I saw it on TV, I said this is not for real," said Wade.
After leaving the area, the teen drove onto Briley Parkway and onto I-40 West where he hit a car.
Police report that the teenager drove the bus at 60 to 65 mph while officers pursued the bus on the interstate.
Officers deployed a spike strip near the McCrory Lane exit to stop the vehicle. However, when the teenager spotted the spike strip, he attempted to turn around in the middle of the westbound lanes.
As he attempted to turn, officers approached the bus, broke the glass door, and used a Taser as the teen tried to continue operating the bus.
He is now in custody and is facing charges of vehicle theft, aggravated assault, evading arrest, reckless driving, driving without a license, leaving the scene of a crash, and failure to report a crash.
