Erick Moore trapped in dead end after 24-hour school bus run
The 23-year-old from Miami Gardens admitted to detectives he stole the vehicle to test his luck, following a two-day chase through Gladeview.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
A 23-year-old Miami Gardens man drove a stolen yellow school bus for 24 hours before deputies pinned the vehicle in a dead-end street in Gladeview. Erick Moore, who was the only person inside the bus when it came to a halt, was taken into custody Thursday morning after a pursuit that began near Northwest 52nd Street.
The vehicle was a 2001 International 3000. A representative from Little Angels Bus Service reported its theft on Wednesday after reviewing security footage from the company's gated lot on Northwest 72nd Street and 29th Court. The owner identified Moore in the video and noted he had previously removed a bus from the same location, according to the arrest report.
Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office detectives located the bus around 6:45 a.m. Thursday. An unmarked patrol car followed the vehicle as it moved north and east through the neighborhood. A marked cruiser later activated its lights and siren near Northwest 61st Street, but Moore ignored the signal and kept driving.
Officers deactivated their sirens to maintain a safe following distance. The chase continued toward Northwest 22nd Avenue and 75th Street, where deputies attempted a second stop. Moore fled again before turning onto Northwest 73rd Terrace near 24th Avenue. The bus struck a cul-de-sac, leaving it unable to retreat. Officers surrounded the vehicle and arrested Moore, who was driving on a license suspended since August 2024 for unpaid financial obligations.
During interrogation at the station, Moore first told detectives that another man had threatened his family if he did not steal the bus for parts. Pressed on why he kept the vehicle for a full day, he admitted he took it simply because he thought he could escape capture, investigators wrote in the report.
Moore appeared in bond court on Friday. The judge set a total bond of $5,500 and ordered him to stay away from Little Angels Bus Service. He faces felony charges for grand theft of a vehicle, burglary of an unoccupied structure, and fleeing and eluding police. Misdemeanor charges include reckless driving and driving with a suspended license.
