Vermont Weirdness on the Bus

From the Rutland Herald. File this under "you can't make this stuff up."

Man charged in bus joyride

By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: February 25, 2010

MIDDLEBURY — An Addison man arrested Tuesday and charged with stealing a school bus told police he liked driving big rigs and had been taking unapproved joyrides with Betcha Transit buses for years, according to Vermont State Police.

Police arrested 27-year-old Jeremy P. Roberts five days after he allegedly commandeered a school bus from the company that serves the Addison Central School and drove it into a tree along Market Road in Bridport, causing more than $1,000 in damage.

Roberts, cited to appear in Middlebury District Court next month, was charged with one count of operation without an owner's consent and one count of aggravated operation without an owner's consent.

State Trooper Andrew Leise said Roberts is no stranger to school buses or Betcha Transit — Roberts drove a bus for the company for four months more than three years ago — but the company fired Roberts after learning he had convictions for negligent operation of a motor vehicle and attempting to elude police.

But Leise said Roberts told police during a taped confession on Tuesday that he has returned to his old job several times during the past two or three years to take the buses for a spin.

"He said he liked driving big vehicles so he would come by when they weren't open and take one of the buses," Leise said. "He said on one occasion he crossed the Champlain Bridge into New York and drove on I-90. On another occasion, he said he drove one of the buses to North Clarendon and stayed overnight in a motel without the owners ever finding out."

Roberts told police he didn't return the bus he took last Thursday because he lost control of the vehicle while driving east at about 60 mph on the country road. The bus went off the road, sideswiped a tree and became stuck in a field where, Leise said, police found it.

The trooper said he is hopeful that improved security at the bus company will help prevent future thefts. Leise said one of the reasons Roberts was able to make off with the buses was due to the lack of security at the bus lot, where the trooper said the bus keys were left in the vehicles between uses.

"I suggested to them strongly that they need to secure their vehicles better," Leise said.