By Mark Hicks
Source The Detroit News
A man is facing charges after allegedly stealing a school bus in Monroe early Tuesday and leading police on a brief chase, authorities said.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office issued an alert around 11 a.m. for the bus believed to have been taken from St. Mary's Catholic Central High School and last seen on Lulu. A deputy spotted it near Summerfield and Teal roads and tried to initiate a traffic stop "but the driver sped up to avoid capture, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
The pursuit continued through Summerfield and Ida townships before ending at the corner of Lewis and Ida West, where deputies surrounded the bus, according to the release.
The driver initially refused to come out and locked the door; deputies forced it open and arrested him, they said.
The 52-year-old Ypsilanti man was taken to the Monroe County Jail. He is expected to be arraigned at 1st District Court.
Alcohol appears to have been a factor in the incident, investigators said.
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