Two teens suspects in Raleigh bus theft, fire

MOUNT HOPE - A stolen Raleigh County school bus was found ablazein Fayette County, and two 14-year-old boys are considered suspects.

Around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, a passing motorist called the FayetteCounty 911 Center and reported a school bus on fire, said FayetteCounty Sheriff Bill Laird. The bus was found on the Mount HopeBypass, near W.Va. 16. The Mount Hope Fire Department was called toextinguish the blaze.

Investigators confirmed the bus had been stolen from the schoolbus garage in Cranberry. They found a witness who followed the busas it traveled from Glen Jean to Mount Hope. The witness saw firecoming from the bus' rear axle.

Laird said investigators are working to determine the fire'scause, and they have not totally ruled out arson.

Laird said it is his understanding the tires appeared to be flat.This could have been a contributing factor as well. How the tireswere flattened has not yet been determined.

Mount Hope police officers and Fayette County sheriff's deputieswere notified Tuesday afternoon that two 14-year-old boys hadapparently run away from the Burlington United Methodist FamilyServices Center near Cranberry, Laird said. The boys are consideredsuspects in the bus incident.

Raleigh County sheriff's deputies detained one boy, believed tobe from Lincoln County, and questioned him. The second juvenile,believed to be from the Mount Hope area, was later taken intocustody at a Mount Hope residence.