A Paulding County couple are accused of stealing a school bus and taking turns driving it on a “joyride,” investigators said Wednesday.
But the trip came to an abrupt end when the two crashed the bus into a fence, the Paulding Sheriff’s Office said. Cody Dalton Green was then given a ride to the county jail. His girlfriend, Haley Michelle Turner, was taken to a hospital due to her level of impairment, investigators said. She was later taken to jail, too.
Around 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, a homeowner called 911 to report a bus had crashed into their fence. The two on the bus, later identified as Green and Turner, appeared to be intoxicated and were restrained by neighbors until deputies arrived, the sheriff’s office said.
It was initially believed that Green stole the bus and crashed it on his own, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday. After reviewing video footage from a bus camera, investigators determined both Green and Turner were involved.
“It was later determined that Green and Turner entered school property on foot and used the bus to open the gate at Moses Middle School so they could exit the parking lot,” sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Ashley Henson said in an emailed statement. “Once they got the gate open, they began their ‘joyride.’ During the course of their ‘joyride’ they actually pushed their own vehicle, which had been parked just off school property, up the road with the bumper of the school bus.”
Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office
The couple drove the bus less than a mile before crashing on Birch River Point, Henson said. No injuries were reported.
Green, 21, was charged with theft by taking, criminal interference with government property, DUI while driving a commercial vehicle, driving a commercial vehicle without a proper license, heroin possession, hit-and-run, driving without a valid license, failure to maintain lane, driving in violation of license restriction, loitering and giving a false name and date of birth. Green initially gave deputies his brother’s name, Henson said. Green was being held without bond late Wednesday at the Paulding jail.
Turner, also 21, was charged with theft by taking, criminal interference with government property and loitering, according to police. She was also being held without bond Wednesday, booking records show.
The Georgia State Patrol is assisting with the investigation and additional charges are possible. Anyone who may have seen this incident is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Tip Line at 770-443-3047 or to submit a tip via the Paulding sheriff’s mobile app.
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