Special to the Democrat
An alert Parker County Sheriff’s Deputy checking on a suspicious vehicle Nov. 29, arrested a Decatur man suspected of stealing copper wire from a jobsite near Springtown.
According to Sheriff Larry Fowler, Deputy Ben Overholt was on routine patrol in the 5300 block of U.S. Highway 199 near Springtown when he located a suspicious vehicle parked behind the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and stopped to investigate.
Fowler said that deputies had been alerted to possible suspicious activity in the area during their shift briefing Thursday night after the department received reports of burglary and criminal mischief offenses that occurred at the Patterson UTI Construction Yard located in the 100 block of Land O Goshen Road, bordering church property.
In the prior reports, Patterson UTI officials reported a construction building vandalized and broken into and a five strand barb wire fence cut, in two offense reports taken by deputies on Nov. 23, and earlier in the day on the Nov. 29. No property was initially reported stolen in the burglary.
According to an arrest affidavit filed by the deputy, Overholt discovered a Chevrolet pickup truck parked and left unattended behind the church building around 11 p.m., and upon inspection, noted the hood and engine compartment still warm indicating the vehicle had been recently parked.
During an investigation of the grounds and surrounding area the deputy discovered two strands of cooper wire 50 -75 feet in length lying on the ground various distances from the parked vehicle leading towards the work site. More suspected copper wire was located near an opening inside the fence line of the construction yard. Also located in the search was a tool bag containing wire cutters, a flashlight and miscellaneous tools.
Assisting deputies arrived at the scene in force and began to comb the area, subsequently detaining the man and a female acquaintance found lying in a wooded thicket near the pickup.
A subsequent field interview of the pair linked the man to the offense and he was arrested on a state jail felony charge of theft of copper and transported to the Parker County Justice Center. The female was released at the scene.
Arrested in the case was 38-year-old Jimmie Dwayne Hudson whose bail was set at $7,500 Friday morning. Sheriff Larry Fowler said the case would be referred to the Grand Jury. Sheriff Investigators expect to interview the pair regarding the prior offenses at the business.
Sheriff Fowler commended Deputy Overholt for his vigilance and attention to duty in the investigation.
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