A Washington state man in a bright yellow dress went on a spree even wilder than his attire over the weekend, stealing a school bus and then driving a front-end loader through the house of his estranged wife.
Andrew Loudon had only just been discharged from a psychiatric facility Saturday morning, when he apparently set out to show his release might not have been the smartest idea.
The 39-year-old began by allegedly stealing a school bus at 7:40 p.m. that evening and refusing to pull over, Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett said in a news release.
(Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)
When Loudon allegedly ran a red light, sheriff’s deputies had to give up their pursuit due to new state police reform laws which only allow authorities to chase a vehicle when there is probable cause of a violent offense or other crimes.
(Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)
Douglas County deputies picked up the pursuit and followed Loudon for around 10 minutes, but were also forced to stop thanks to the new rules, Burnett said.
After Loudon got away, he abandoned the school bus near Moses Lake and apparently thumbed a ride to Spokane and then on to Chewelah, where his wife lives.
“The suspect’s wife had fled the home when she learned her estranged husband may be nearby,” the sheriff said.
Loudon then stole a front-end loader and drove it into his wife’s now empty house, completely wrecking the property and flipping a car over in the driveway, photos of the incident show.
(Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)
He was finally arrested there by Chewelah police.
(Chelan County Sheriff’s Office)
Explaining the rules which prevented Loudon’s earlier capture, the sheriff’s office said that only a driver deemed to pose “an imminent threat” may be pursued and a supervisor must give authorization.
Loudon was being held on charges including theft of a motor vehicle and malicious mischief, police said.