The Story of Bus
DUMB: Stealing a car. DUMBER: Stealing a city bus. DUMBERER: Stealing a city bus, driving the bus on its route and picking up passengers.
FERN PARK, Fla. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy was sentenced Monday to four years in a juvenile-treatment program after deputies stopped him while driving a stolen bus along a public transit route, picking up passengers and collecting fares.
A judge also sentenced Ritchie Calvin Davis to an additional four months in a treatment program for trespassing and theft linked to an unrelated break-in at a United Way office, the Orlando Sentinel reported for Tuesday editions.
Davis also lost his driving privileges for a year, though he doesn’t have a driver’s license. The sentence means he won’t be able to drive for a year after getting a permit or license.
Damn you Fern Park, Fla. How dare you destroy a child’s dream of wanting to be a bus driver! Does this mean you’ll start arresting kids who play Cops and Robbers for impersonating a police officer?
But does the punishment fit the crime, especially for a repeat offender? Taking away someone’s license who doesn’t have one to begin with is like placing a homeless man under house arrest.
But like a fine Vanessa Williams song, we’ve saved the best for last: he’s been convicted of the same crime. This is the second time he was caught stealing a city bus and driving its route, except the first time he had a fake license. Most kids use fake licenses to buy beer and get into adult places; this kid uses his to do a civil service job. Even juve hall has to have a class nerd.
Elizabeth Ballard Said,
December 30, 2006 @ 8:07 am
What about double jepardy? Why don’t they take this kid make him work on broken city busses and when he gets old enough and is legally allowed to drive put him into a Bus driver training class? If he had to work on broken busses for 4 years maybe he would not try it again.
Just a thought.
Hair Said,
January 3, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
We’ll this is interesting!
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=131074503
This the idiots myspace page!
Cierra Said,
March 8, 2007 @ 9:04 am
Well…Well…Well…this kid has to be posibly be the coolest person ever…I think that 4 years in a juvy program is a little harsh…it is not like he stole it and went off with it…he acctually picked up people and took them where they need to be…obviously the REAL driver was lacking responsiblity if he left his bus unattended….THE KID SHOULD BE FREE!!!!!
Caitlin Hoferichter Said,
May 24, 2007 @ 5:07 am
I agreed. He performed his civil duty, though irresponsibly. i CANNOT IMAGINE THAT DRIVING A BUS IS AN EASY THING, so it makes you wonder whether he had experience.
Anyway, I think 100 hours of commuinity service should do the job!!!!
Travis Said,
July 17, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
Why is the kid to blame? The bus driver was obviously irresponsible and why would anyone get on a bus being driven by a kid AND pay him? Did they really think that the bus company was THAT desperate for employees?
rlb Said,
March 27, 2008 @ 10:32 am
for real i agree with travis…