CROWNSVILLE, Md. — On Tuesday morning, two suspects were arrested hours after police located an Anne Arundel County special-needs school bus reported stolen from a lot here, police said.

At approximately 5:30 a.m., the Anne Arundel County Police Department received a call from a bus company dispatcher regarding the theft of the bus. It was described as a mid-size yellow bus with a wheelchair ramp and possible front-end damage. Numerous citizen tips indicated possible sightings of the bus, which was ultimately located by the police department’s aviation unit around 8:54 a.m. in Davidsonville.

The suspects, Travis Edward Champagne, 24, and Nicole Jo-Ann Adams, 24, gained access to the property earlier in the morning and stole the bus, according to the police department, driving through the gate on the property.

At approximately 11:15 a.m., a witness reported to the police department that they saw two suspicious individuals, described as a white male and a white female, both approximately 20-30 years old, walking in the middle of the roadway where the bus was found around 6:15 a.m., police said. The suspects were also captured on video surveillance from the bus, the police department reports. Based on this information, two individuals matching the description provided were located at a residence around noon and taken into custody.

The bus sustained extensive damage from being crashed into a wooded area as well as from the suspects damaging it by breaking out windows, according to the police department. Prior to the crash, the bus also struck a Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. tower. The suspects also attempted to set the bus on fire after the crash.

It appears that the suspects were under the influence of alcohol and were looking for change to buy cigarettes, police said. They have no known affiliation to Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

The suspects were charged with first degree burglary, theft over $100,000, destruction of property over $100,000 and attempted arson.

About the author
Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Editorial

Our team of enterprising editors brings years of experience covering the fleet industry. We offer a deep understanding of trends and the ever-evolving landscapes we cover in fleet, trucking, and transportation.  

View Bio
0 Comments