Alleged theft of car at Walmart leads to charges
A Portland man who allegedly stole a pickup truck from a Walmart parking lot has been indicted by the Lincoln County Grand Jury.
Jason Hunter, 30, of Portland was charged with Class C theft by unauthorized taking, Class D unauthorized use of property and Class E operating after license suspension after being stopped by Lincoln County Sheriffs Deputy Brian Collamore on Sept. 9 in Newcastle.
Collamore was driving down the Route 1 ramp into Newcastle behind a car, when a maroon Ford pickup truck allegedly went through the River Road stop sign without stopping.
Collamore wrote in his report that the driver in the car that was in front of his marked cruiser had to slam on their brakes to avoid a collision.
Collamore turned on his blue lights and wig-wag lights and pulled over the truck on River Road near a business.
When Collamore asked the driver for his license, registration and proof of insurance, the driver was reportedly nervous and non-compliant.
Collamore had the driver exit the truck and placed him in handcuffs for safety reasons.
The driver was then identified as Hunter, whose license was suspended in Maine. Hunter was also reported to have bail conditions.
Collamore contacted the owner of the truck, who reportedly said that the vehicle was stolen from the Walmart parking lot in Scarborough. Hunter was placed under arrest shortly thereafter.
If convicted, Hunter could face up to five years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for the Class C crime, which is a felony. Class D crimes are classified as misdemeanors and could fetch up to 364 days in jail and up to a $2,000 fine. Class E crimes are also misdemeanors and are punishable by up to six months in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.
Event Date
Address
1 River Road
Newcastle, ME
United States