Tenn. teens vandalize 16 school buses

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — Two male juveniles, aged 14 and 15, were arrested last week and charged with vandalism of at least 16 school buses at Sulli...

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

May 9, 2007

1 min to read

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — Two male juveniles, aged 14 and 15, were arrested last week and charged with vandalism of at least 16 school buses at Sullivan Central High School.

An officer with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s office on patrol spotted the boys standing near buses at 2:30 p.m. on May 2, before they fled the scene.

The seats on 15 buses were slashed and sprayed with powder from a fire extinguisher, and driver seat belts were cut. Outside lamps were vandalized on another bus, and the door to the school's field house was found open with powder from a fire extinguisher sprayed inside.

The two juveniles, both students at Sullivan Central High School, are charged with 16 counts of burglary, vandalism over $10,000 and two counts of theft under $500.

The incident left Sullivan Central six buses short for the remainder of the school year. The buses will be fully repaired over the summer.

Topics:Safety

More Safety

The 5th-generation Waymo Driver on the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE.

Safety•by Staff•March 5, 2026

NTSB Determines Human Error Led to Waymo’s Illegal School Bus Passing

Investigators reported a remote assistance error allowed a Waymo driverless vehicle to illegally pass a stopped school bus in Austin.

The side of a school bus with a retracted stop signal.

Safety•by Elora Haynes•March 4, 2026

National Action Plan Aims to End Illegal School Bus Passings Across the U.S.

See how a new 50-state roadmap outlines 69 strategies for districts, law enforcement, and policymakers to reduce the 39 million illegal school bus passings reported each year.

A school bus graphic with text reading "Iowa Student Killed, 14 Injured in Oklahoma Bus Crash."

Safety•by Staff•March 3, 2026

11-Year-Old Student Dies After Falling Under School Bus

Recently, an Iowa student died after falling under a school bus, while 14 Oklahoma students were injured days later when a semi-truck rear-ended their bus.

7 Key Criteria for Choosing a School Bus Fleet Technology Partner

Download this white paper for clear guidance on evaluating your organization’s needs and selecting a partner who delivers long-term value.

Graphic of a yellow school bus above the headline “The Real Cost of Downtime,” with icons illustrating overtime costs, frustrated parents and administrators, repair expenses, and route delays, emphasizing the operational and financial impact of communication failures in school transportation fleets.

The Real Cost of Bus Fleet Downtime

When school bus communication systems fail, the consequences extend far beyond equipment repairs. Downtime can increase safety risks, strain dispatch operations, and erode driver confidence. Explore how proactive radio lifecycle management and managed services are reducing disruptions, supporting driver retention, and delivering predictable budgeting for school transportation fleets.