Arkansas Police Can’t PIT Stolen Bus So They Go Old-School With A Shotgun

The driver of the bus tried to flee, but but he obviously never stood a chance of escaping

Arkansas state troopers have a reputation for not messing around when it comes to drivers fleeing traffic stops. Usually, that means breaking out their favorite move—the PIT maneuver—to spin a suspect’s car into submission. But when the suspect is driving a full-size bus? Well, PIT-ing a 40,000-pound motorcoach isn’t exactly an option. So, the troopers went with plan B: shooting out the tires.

Sometime around 3 a.m. on August 29, 2024, someone allegedly stole a Prevost bus in Little Rock. Later that morning, at 7:40 a.m., officers located the bus and attempted to pull it over. However, the driver decided not to stop and fled the scene.

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Of course, the motorcoach struggled to gain any distance from the pursuing troopers. One trooper even attempted to use the PIT maneuver against the bus, which failed spectacularly. Then, the bus driver seemed to put themselves into a pickle by driving into a train yard. Rather than getting trapped, they drove onto the tracks and then over onto the other side of them.

At some point, the bus slowed down enough for an officer to hop out of their patrol car, run up alongside the moving vehicle, and fire a shotgun at the tires. The plan worked and the large vehicle was immobilized. The suspect gave up and officers took him into custody without further incident.

Now, he’s facing charges including burglary, theft of property, fleeing, criminal mischief, leaving the scene of an accident, and theft by receiving. Meanwhile, the prosecuting attorney’s office reviewed the case and cleared the officer of any wrongdoing regarding the use of deadly force. It’s also worth noting that the suspect made it through the entire encounter without injury, something that isn’t always a given in high-speed police chases.

Image Credit: Arkansas State Police