ORANGEBURG COUNTY, SC (WIS) -
Two teenagers are facing serious charges after deputies say they stole a bus, led law enforcement on a two county chase, and crashed into a building last week.
According to the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office, the unnamed teens, ages 13 and 15, have been charged with grand larceny and malicious injury to personal property. Both also face failure to stop for blue lights charges in Calhoun County.
Early on the morning of May 30, deputies noticed a school bus from Orangeburg Preparatory Schools, Inc. traveling on Highway 21 near Murph Mill Rd.
Because school buses aren't normally on the roads at 2:30 a.m., deputies attempted to pull it over to investigate. The bus didn't stop and sped away as deputies began pursuit.
Calhoun County Sheriff Thomas Summers said the driver was driving erratically and into opposite lanes while deputies followed. He said that
sometime during the chase the two teens switched who was driving the bus. "One
of the teens told the other that he could drive better," said Summers.
The bus made its way into Orangeburg County and onto the campus of South Carolina State University.
As the pursuit continued, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office, and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety joined Calhoun County deputies.
After knocking over several iron gates and fences on campus, the driver of the bus lost control while trying to make a turn and slammed into the Zeus Industrial Products building on Mill St.
As deputies approached the mangled bus and looked through the dust and debris, they found the 15-year-old boy trapped inside. The 13-year-old ran away from the scene and was eventually taken into custody.
The boy who was trapped in the bus was extricated and taken by helicopter to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital where he had to have one foot removed.
"It was extremely dangerous they stole the school bus," Summers said. "You have to remember that. They made a conscious decision to not stop for law enforcement, and that was the end result."
After the crash, Orangeburg deputies found another bus that had been damaged at Orangeburg Preparatory School. According to an incident report, a fire extinguisher has been discharged inside that bus.
The teens will be adjudicated through the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
(Source: Calhoun County Sheriff's Office via TheTandD.com)
(Source: TheTandD.com)
