One man is being held in jail without bond after he stole a school bus and took it on a ‘joy ride.’
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office says deputies, along with Troopers from the Georgia State Patrol, learned of a school bus crash just before 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday. A caller contacted 911 to report the bus had crashed into a fence in their yard.
Upon arrival, law enforcement officials located the driver, who was reportedly intoxicated. Neighbors had restrained him after the wreck and he was subsequently identified as 23-year-old Austin Green.
Authorities say it was later determined that Green forced entry into the gate at Moses Middle School where he later stole the bus.
After a brief “Joy Ride,” he crashed the bus into the fence of the residence on Birch River Point in Dallas. The investigation into this incident was conducted by both the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol.
Green was charged with the below listed offenses:
- Theft by Taking (F)
- Criminal Interference with Government Property (F)
- VGSCA (heroin)
- DUI While Driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle
- Driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle Without CDL
- Failure to Maintain Lane
- Hit & Run (2 counts)
- Driving Without a Valid License
- Driving in Violation of License Restrictions
Green is being held in the Paulding County Jail without bond where more charges are pending. Deputies are asking anyone who may have seen the incident to contact the Criminal Investigations Tip Line at (770) 443-3047.
