Man Drives Stolen Bus Across Several Counties, Crashes Loader Into His Home

A man is facing charges for allegedly stealing a school bus, leading cops on a chase across multiple counties, and eventually crashing a front-end loader into a home in Washington, Q13 FOX reports.

The wild incident went down Saturday night (July 24) near Leavenworth when Osprey Rafting employees spotted a man driving away in the company's privately-owned yellow school bus, according to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office.

Officers tracked the bus down and spotted the driver run a red light near Monitor. The suspect allegedly kept driving even when deputies tried to pull the bus over.

"Washington’s new police reform laws no longer allow law enforcement to pursue a fleeing vehicle unless there is probable cause that a serious felony has occurred, so the deputies had to abandon the pursuit," according to reporters.

Douglas County sheriff's deputies took over and pursued the stolen bus on State Road 28, which took the chase outside Wenatchee city limits. These deputies were also forced to abandon the pursuit.

Police said the man ditched the bus later that night and hitchhiked to Chewelah. Come Sunday around 6:53 p.m., the suspect allegedly stole a front-end loader and drove it into his home. A vehicle ended up flipping into the house, officials added.

"Deputies said the suspect's wife fled the home that day when she learned her estranged husband may be nearby," Q13 FOX wrote. "The suspect was released from Western State psychiatric hospital early Saturday morning before the alleged thefts occurred."

Chewelah Police officers arrested the 39-year-old suspect. He's being held on charges of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, first-degree malicious mischief, domestic violence, and attempting to elude a police vehicle.