An Eleven-Year-Old Louisiana Boy Steals And Crashes School Bus, Taunting Officers

Well, folks, it looks like our favorite cartoon fourth-grader, Bart Simpson, is facing some stiff new competition when it comes to bus-stealing mischief. Last week, an 11-year-old boy from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was arrested after stealing a school bus, leading police officers on a 45-minute car chase. The youth, who reportedly had to stand up to operate the vehicle's gas pedals, appeared to be having the time of his life during the pursuit, taunting officers during his "joy ride," NBC News reported, with Twitter users like @lyndellsmovie sharing their footage of the chase on social media. 

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"As he got closer and closer and closer, I saw it's a little boy in there, and he was laughing," Joy Gradney, another eyewitness who filmed the alleged GTA, er, GT Bus, on her cell phone, said of the incident. "He was like giggling on the way across Florida as he goes right past me. I'm like I can't believe it's a little boy."

According to Newsweek, police officers first learned of the incident around 10:45 that morning, with multiple units in pursuit of the child. So what exactly ended the whole ordeal? "The male juvenile crashed the school bus around 11.25 a.m. into a tree after crashing into vehicles and fleeing from officers," Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr., who is a representative of the city's police department, told Newsweek. Fortunately, there appeared to be no injuries at the crash site, according to local ABC News affiliate, WBRZ-TV

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"I'm thinking what in the world is going on, and my first thought is that it was a lot of kids on the bus," Libby Smith, the owner of the tree in question, told local news source, WAFB. "Thank goodness he was OK. He was safe, but it was not your typical Sunday afternoon occurrence for sure. So, we're blessed that it didn't do any more damage than it did." 

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The literal baby driver was then arrested on counts of "vehicle, aggravated flight, aggravated damage to property and aggravated assault," Newsweek reported. To quote the eldest Simpson kid's catchphrase "Ay Caramba."

Moral of the story? Please, don't give your bus keys to children. They can and will live their GTB fantasies. And to the baby driver, whoever you are, keep your chin up -- I fully expect to see you killing it on the NASCAR circuit in about 10 years. 

You can find Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.