Teen ‘tired of walking’ steals school bus
Walking, a physical act similar to exercise, is dreadfully boring, which only partially explains the runaway success of MARTA.
It may also explain why a Georgia teen just released from jail would steal a school bus to get home.
In Fort Oglethorpe, a tiny town up near Tennessee, the very bedrock of society was rocked when a Flintstone, Ga., teen absconded with a Catoosa County school bus.
Fort Oglethorpe Detective James Leamon told CatoosaNews.com that Jonathan Cole Collins, 18, took bus No. 77 from the parking lot of Battlefield Primary School Feb. 1 and drove it eight miles to Chattanooga Valley Elementary School in neighboring Walker County.
“[Collins] stated that he had walked into Fort Oglethorpe from the Catoosa County Detention Center (a trip of about 6½ miles), and was getting tired. He saw the open bus door, the keys inside, and decided that he wasn’t going to walk anymore,” said Leamon.
Video from a school bus camera quickly identified Collins, who was arrested Feb. 5.
Collins remained jailed Tuesday on theft charges. School bus drivers are advised to not leave the keys in unlocked vehicles the day he gets out.
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34 comments Add your comment
dean
February 12th, 2013
11:22 am
I can’t say that I wouldn’t have done the same thing. Depressed. Hoofing it. There is still hope for this young man. Don’t give up on him yet.
Stella
February 12th, 2013
11:49 am
Guess the time he spent in jail taught him nothing. Theft is theft. Think he will be going back to another round. Its really a shame that the police can’t give him a ride into town though. Six miles, 20 minutes there and back. So sad really.
Me
February 12th, 2013
12:01 pm
I guess since it happened in a “tiny town” it’s cute to say things like “the very bedrock of society was rocked”. Get over it and skip it.
Darwin at Work
February 12th, 2013
12:09 pm
He won’t have to walk anymore except to his cell and out to the yard. Mental midget…..
Rock Gaines
February 12th, 2013
12:11 pm
It takes over one hour to walk six miles, not 20 minutes. Walking at a fast pace for most people is about 4.5 miles per hour on average, so there is no way this person could walk six miles in 20 minutes.
xxx
February 12th, 2013
12:11 pm
further proof criminals will always be criminals, stop wasting resources on them.
beanster
February 12th, 2013
12:28 pm
Initially I thought the same thing, Rock. I think she means it would have taken the police 20 minutes to drive him.
SouthernGal
February 12th, 2013
12:46 pm
Police do not transport released prisoners (liability). Where were his parents..they should of picked him up when he was released.
freds678
February 12th, 2013
12:55 pm
18 years old, no money, no family, no friends, no food, no phone, no home. These county lock-ups put people in a room, no books, no employment training, no access to any social services. Just basic cable. Kids without supervision, have to be taught how to function in society. There are bad apples out there, but most robberies are committed out of desperation. Our current system breeds career criminals, and they drain our tax dollars.
Rob
February 12th, 2013
12:57 pm
We must ban all buses or restrict the size and mileage of the bus. Until we have a complete ban on buses, then how can we expect society to be protected from these rogue school bus and their foul temptations to students. After all, he didn’t make a choice, the bus started itself and drove to the school #gunlogic