Temple Woman Arrested for Stealing School Bus

Allison Marie Lynes faces multiple charges after taking bus on joyride across county lines

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Allison Marie Lynes, a 48-year-old woman from Temple, Georgia, has been arrested after allegedly stealing a school bus from Arbor Springs Elementary School and taking it on a cross-county joyride. Lynes faces charges of theft by taking, criminal trespass, and three counts of entering auto.

Why it matters

The theft of a school bus is a serious crime that raises concerns about school security and the potential risks to public safety. This incident has garnered national attention and highlights the importance of community involvement in helping law enforcement solve crimes.

The details

Authorities say Lynes somehow obtained the keys to the bus and drove it from the school's bus loop, which sits on a high ridge making the vehicles nearly impossible to see from the street. Lynes then drove the bus to her hometown of Carroll County, where it was eventually recovered. Investigators are still unsure how Lynes got the keys or why she decided to take the bus in the first place.

  • The bus theft occurred earlier this month.
  • Lynes was arrested on February 25, 2026.

The players

Allison Marie Lynes

A 48-year-old woman from Temple, Georgia, who has been arrested and charged with theft by taking, criminal trespass, and three counts of entering auto for allegedly stealing a school bus.

Coweta County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that investigated the school bus theft and made the arrest of Allison Marie Lynes.

Arbor Springs Elementary School

The school from which the bus was stolen.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, so we're very thankful for our partnership with the community. They're the ones who helped us out identifying this individual. We received numerous tips of who they believe was the individual in that video.”

— Sgt. Chris Ricketson, Coweta County Sheriff's Office (fox5atlanta.com)

What’s next

Lynes is currently being held at the Coweta County Detention Center. The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to grant her bail.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of school security measures and the need for strong community-law enforcement partnerships to help solve crimes. It also raises questions about the motivations behind such brazen acts and the potential risks they pose to public safety.