A 21-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, man has been charged with multiple offenses after allegedly stealing a Greyhound bus and leading police on a chase Tuesday night, causing over $55,000 in damage to the bus facility, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
Preston R. Reiff faces one count of stealing, one count of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, and one count of first-degree property damage. Kansas City police responded to the Greyhound bus station after receiving reports of the stolen vehicle late Tuesday night.
Witnesses told investigators that Reiff allegedly drove the bus from the depot’s back lot, striking a wall, an automatic gate, and two signs – including a Greyhound bus station sign and a “No Parking” sign – as he departed the property, court records show.
Officers attempted to stop the bus near Interstate 29 and Northwest 56th Street, but Reiff refused to comply. Law enforcement deployed stop sticks near I-29 and Northwest Tiffany Springs Parkway in Platte County, successfully bringing the bus to a halt and apprehending Reiff without further incident.
Greyhound employees assessed the damage to the bus facility at over $55,000. The extent of damage to the bus itself is still being calculated. Reiff was determined not to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol following field sobriety tests, according to court documents.
A Jackson County judge set Reiff’s bond at $30,000 cash only.
