Joseph Andrew Townsend, 34, of Waldorf
On July 19, 2026, at approximately 10:30 a.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a school bus after the driver failed to stop for a red light at the intersection of Leonardtown Road and Old Washington Road in Waldorf.
As the driver started pulling over, he struck a curb causing minor damage to the front end of the bus. Officers approached and observed the driver inside the bus and no passengers.
A preliminary investigation showed the driver, Joseph Andrew Townsend, 34, of Waldorf, entered a privately owned school bus lot, found the keys to a bus, and stole it.
Townsend was arrested and charged with theft over $25,000.
He is currently being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.
