Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Detectives are investigating “stranger danger” reports at bus routes for an elementary school in Highland Township.

Oakland County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating reports made today that a suspicious person dressed in all black and wearing a ski mask was parked near two bus stops for the Spring Mills Elementary School.

Huron Valley Schools officials alerted school families by email today of two separate suspicious events that occurred today during the morning bus runs for Spring Mills, located at 3150 Harvey Lake Road.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said “Today’s incident is a reminder that safety begins with awareness. Please talk to your children about ‘stranger danger’ and to trust their instincts, stay alert and look out for one another. Together, we keep our community safe.”

In the first incident around 8am, the suspect was parked in a vehicle which one student described as a gray car and another student said was a tan-colored van. The suspect got out of the vehicle, prompting the students to run into the house and alert a parent. When the parent went outside, the vehicle was gone.

In the second instance at a different stop, a student reported a person wearing all black and wearing a ski mask sitting in a red car parked nearby. The suspect motioned for the student to approach the car. The school bus arrived, and the car drove away. The student reported the incident to the bus driver and school officials were alerted.

Both bus stops were near M-59 and Duck Lake Road in Highland Township.

School officials notified the Sheriff’s Office, Milford Police, and White Lake Police of the incidents.

Sheriff’s deputies will be patrolling the bus route on Friday when students are picked up and dropped off later in the day.