Man steals Grant Transit bus and lead multiple agencies on a high speed chase in Northern Grant Co.

- Coulee City, WA

The man who stole a Grant Transit Authority bus this morning was caught after driving more than 60 miles and leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a high speed pursuit through central and northern Grant County.

GTA reported the bus stolen around 7 a.m. today, and Moses Lake Police asked other agencies to be on the lookout. A Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy found the stolen bus around 30 minutes later traveling on SR-28 near the small town of Stratford 33 minutes north of Moses Lake and the International Airport. The bus then took off north on Pinto Ridge Road with more law enforcement officers joining the chase.

The bus traveled through the town of Coulee City and then headed out of town north on

SR-155, where Grand Coulee Police set up spike strips about seven miles north of Coulee City. Those spikes deflated one of the bus’s left rear dual tires, but the driver was able to keep going at speeds reaching 80 miles per hour.

Just south of Electric City, another Grand Coulee Police Officer set up spikes strips which deflated the right front tire of the bus. About a half mile later, the bus veered to the right while attempting to turn onto a street. The bus left the road, through a ditch and up an embankment, where it came to rest.

The driver, 62-year-old Richard D. Manley of Grand Coulee, was taken into custody without incident. He is lodged in the Grant County Jail for investigation of motor vehicle theft and felony eluding. Nobody was hurt and the bus sustained minor damage.

Sheriff’s Deputies, Moses Lake Police Department, Soap Lake Police Department, and the Washington State Patrol all joined in the chase and capture.

NOTE: The Moses Lake Police Department is handling the information on the theft of the bus. The Grant County Sheriffs Office is handling the information on the pursuit and capture.