from WZEP radio
Vandals Release Air From Walton Bus Tires
Big yellow does not roll without air in the tires. Sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning, someone entered the secured Walton School District bus barn and removed the valve stems from a number of bus tires. Drivers came to work and found their busses were not usable and the call went out that all routs in the central Walton area around DeFuniak Springs would be several hours late.
Walton Transportation Coordinator Mack Work says the tires were not cut, the vandal or vandals simply removed the valve stems. Transportation crews went to work getting air back in the tires. National Tire Brokers and CHECLO both sent trucks with air compressors. The work was not as simple as putting a stem in and connecting an air hose. Many of the tires are tubeless and this means having to jack or lift the bus and forcing a large blast of air into the tire to seat it on the rim.
As the busses started rolling again, the elementary students were picked up first. When a rout was completed, the bus was brought back to the barn and another driver would take it over and run the middle school or high school rout.
The bus barn is located on Walton Road near Walton High School and has security fencing. DeFuniak Springs Police Chief Mike Adkinson says they are investigating the incident.
Recently a number of Walton High seniors broke into the school and caused about $10,000 worth of damage. These 11 students were arrested booked into the Walton County Jail and the criminal case is ongoing. Late last week the Walton School Board held a number of expulsion hearings, but the names and outcome can not be released due to the privacy rules. One unofficial report said the students were only suspended, not expelled and will be allowed to graduate. Again, this is not confirmed by official means.
If the students were expelled, they would not be in school and would not be allowed to graduate. A suspension keeps the students in the school system. An expulsion hearing is conducted in closed session by the school board and the board makes the final decision.