MONROE, Mich. (WWJ) – A 52-year-old Ypsilanti man has been charged after stealing a school bus and leading police on a high-speed chase in Monroe County Tuesday morning.
Larry Kosarue of Ypsilanti, Michigan was arraigned in First District Court Wednesday on one count of the unlawful driving away of a vehicle and one count of fleeing and eluding. Bond has been set at $50,000 for each charge and if he posts bond, he will be required to wear a GPS tether.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says the incident unfolded shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday when dispatchers reported a stolen school bus last seen headed westbound on Lulu Road near Summerfield Road.
The bus was believed to have been stolen from St. Mary's High School on Elm St. in the City of Monroe. No students were aboard the bus and the driver, later identified as Kosarue, was the sole occupant.
One deputy spotted the stolen bus in the area and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Kosarue sped up to avoid capture and led police on a chase, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph, the sheriff’s office said.
The pursuit continued through Summerfield and Ida Townships, ending at the corner of Lewis Avenue and Ida West Road, where sheriff’s deputies were able to surround the bus.
After he was surrounded, the sheriff's office says Kosarue refused to come out and locked the doors.
Deputies were eventually able to force the door open and took him into custody without further incident.
The sheriff’s office had said on Tuesday that alcohol appeared to be a factor in the incident, but no charges of drunk driving were filed on Wednesday.
Authorities are asking anyone with further information regarding this incident to contact Deputy Brandon Benes of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at 734-240-7540 or the Road Patrol Shift Supervisor at 734-240-7700.
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