Minors accused of stealing school buses in Knox County, crashing in Knox and Fayette Counties

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A group of minors is accused of stealing multiple school buses in Knox County.

According to the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, on Sunday night at 2:43 a.m., a Knox County Deputy responded to a report of a bus accident at Central Elementary. A group of four male minors left the Appalachian Children’s Home, a foster care facility for at-risk kids in Barbourville.

After walking out of the facility, two of the boys went to the Knox County Schools bus garage and turned on the vehicles without a key. They managed to break through the closed gate and drove off.

Following the first accident at the elementary school, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said that the two male minors fled and stole another Knox County School bus. After stealing the second bus, the two other minors joined them.

All four of the male minors traveled to Lexington where they crashed the second bus on Richmond Road.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says that all of the minors were captured. Two remain in custody and are being charged with two counts each of Auto Theft $10,000-$100,000, a count each of Criminal Mischief – 1st degree, and Wanton Endangerment – 1st degree.

The other two juveniles were taken back to the children’s home.

Knox County School officials say that none of the kids involved are Knox County students and this is an ongoing investigation.