Man accused of bus vandalism
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 28, 2026
An Aberdeen man experiencing a mental health crisis is accused of spraying multiple fire extinguishers inside the Coupeville School District bus barn on July 17, coating several school buses in fire-retardant powder, according to court documents.
Prosecutors charged Travis Maddox in Island County Superior Court July 22 with malicious mischief in the second degree.
At a hearing, a judge ordered that Maddox be evaluated by a mental health professional for possible commitment to a treatment facility. Bail was set at a $2,500 bond or $500 cash.
A report by a deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office states that Maddox climbed over a 6-foot fence with barbed wire at the top, entered the school district bus barn and sprayed the contents of numerous fire extinguishers on the buses.
The buses were covered in white fire-retardant powder. A school official estimated cleaning the buses and the building would take up to 10 hours at $55 an hour.
Witnesses initially reported the incident as a possible fire after seeing clouds of white powder. According to the deputy’s report, Maddox later said drones were trying to kill him and that he needed to speak with the FBI.
