Published: November 06, 2009 11:53 pm      

Two arrested in bus theft

from staff reports



Two 18-year-old locals were arrested Friday for the August school bus theft at West Lauderdale Elementary School.

Colton Taylor Poe and Joshua C. Haskins, both 18, turned themselves in Friday and were charged with motor vehicle theft, said Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun of the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department.

"We received a CrimeStoppers tip late last week and thanks to that tip, we were able to solve this case," Calhoun said. "This crime was taken very seriously and we're happy we were able to find the perpetrators."

On Aug. 5, deputies were called to the elementary school at 5 a.m. to a report of multiple buses being stolen.

When deputies arrived they found one bus had been crashed into a chain link fence, two others had been damaged and one was missing. A search for the missing bus and those responsible was immediately launched.

The missing bus was located near Centerville Martin Road on Hwy. 495.

This case will be presented to a March grand jury, Calhoun said.