DHSPD: Suspect steals SunBus, leads police on pursuit that ends in a crash

A 21-year-old is in police custody after allegedly stealing a SunBus from a bus stop in Desert Hot Springs, leading police on a pursuit that ended in a crash Friday afternoon.

Multiple viewers reported seeing the end of a crash between a SunBus and a fire hydrant on Bob Hope Drive and Varner Road in Cathedral City Friday afternoon.

Doria Wilms, spokesperson for the Desert Hot Springs Police Department, confirmed that the SunBus was stolen. Officers were told that the bus was stolen from the stop on West Drive and Pierson Drive, near the skate park, at around 12:25 p.m.

The bus did not have any passengers inside at the time of the theft, Wilms confirmed.

Wilms said that officers attempted to pull the bus over, but the driver would not comply. A pursuit was initiated and the suspect drove east from Two Bunch Palms, cut through Royal Emerald Parking lot and got back on Palm Drive. They then headed south on Palm Drive before ending up at the corner of Varner road and Bob Hope Drive in Cathedral City.

At the Bob Hope intersection, police attempted to use a spike strip, the suspect ended up swerving off the roadway, ending the pursuit.

The front windshield of the bus was mostly destroyed by the end of the pursuit. According to Wilms, the suspect took out several stop signs along the pursuit.

A spokesperson for the SunLine Transit Agency confirmed that no one was injured and said that the vehicle will be towed back to SunLine Transit Agency’s headquarters.

Police are continuing to investigate how and why the man stole the bus. Stay with News Channel 3 for the continuing updates.