Man steals Concord school bus, leads troopers on chase

CONCORD, N.C. — Troopers pulled their guns on a man who they said stole a school bus from a Concord school and led authorities on a chase that ended in Davidson County overnight.

Investigators said Steven Karambelas, of Charlotte, stole the bus from Cannon School and police spotted it around 2 a.m.

Troopers said Karambelas led them on a low-speed pursuit up Interstate 85 into Davidson County for about an hour.

"It sounds like a senior prank or something that you would expect from some high school students, but kind of bizarre that someone in their 50s would do that," parent Jess Wayne said.

Troopers said Karambelas swerved towards them during the chase and they ended up using stop sticks on Highway 109 to take out the bus's front tires.

They arrested Karambelas, who could be seen smiling in the back of a patrol car.

Troopers on the scene said Karambelas was not drunk or on drugs, but that he told them he was having "one last hurrah."

"I just know he was an OK guy when he lived here with his girlfriend," old neighbor Jerry McSwain said. "You know that was just kind of shocking to hear that story. That's really surprising because I wouldn't think he would go out like that."

Officials said Karambelas told them that the keys were sitting in the bus so he decided to take it.

He was booked into the Davidson County Jail on a $1 million bond and is facing a charge of larceny of a school bus from Concord police and more charges from the Highway Patrol.

Click 'PLAY' to watch raw video of the man's arrest:

Channel 9 reporter Gina Esposito is asking Concord police and the Highway Patrol for more information and will have the latest on Eyewitness News at 5 p.m.

Cox Media Group