HILLSBORO — A Hillsboro man is facing a theft charge after taking a vehicle for a test drive Wednesday and never returning it, according to the Hillsboro Police Department.
The police department said that Michael L. Carson, 39, went to Westview Motors in Hillsboro on Wednesday and presented a driver’s license that was not his so he could test drive a vehicle.
Carson left the business around 3:30 p.m. in a 2013 Ford 150 pickup and when he had not returned a few hours later, the business contacted the police department.
The police department said Westview was able to provide video of Carson inside the business, and officers knew he was not the same person pictured on the driver’s license.
In the meantime, the police department said the man the driver’s license belonged learned the police departmnent was looking for him. The police department said he contacted officers and said he was not person who took the vehicle for a test drive.
While an officer was on patrol, he spotted the missing vehicle at a residence at 129 Bell St. in Hillsboro. Officers said they went to a garage at the address, were able to look through a small hole, and clearly identified the man they had saw on the Westview video. The police department said that while other people were in the garage, they kicked in the garage door and arrested Carson without incident at 9:01 p.m.
Officers said they recovered what they suspect was the drug “ice” at the Bell Street address, and that the substance was being sent to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in London, Ohio for positive identification.
The police department said the man the license belonged to had apparently lost his wallet at the same address.
Carson claimed he had fell asleep and planned to return the vehicle, the police department said.
Carson was charged with theft and was transported to the Highland County Jail. He was also arrested on an outstanding bench warrant.
He remained incarcerated Thursday evening on a total $17,000 bond, according to the Highland County Sheriff’s Office website. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 18.
The police department said the vehicle Carson took did not appear to be damaged, but that he would not tell them where he went after leaving the car lot.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
