Man Arrested Shortly After Stealing Vehicle
1st SGT. CHAD D. HILL
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputies were advised at 1:31 p.m. yesterday, Thursday, June 11, of a vehicular crash at the intersection of Armstrong and Baseline roads, just south of Leesburg.
Deputy Sheriff Chris Anderson arrived within minutes, and apprehended the driver who was running from the scene. During the course of the investigation, Anderson and other deputies determined the crashed vehicle had been previously taken from the Warsaw Wal-Mart parking lot, Warsaw.
Officers located the rightful owners of the Ford Windstar van, who were unaware their vehicle was stolen while shopping.
Tyler Scott Boocher, 20, Leesburg, was subsequently arrested and preliminarily charged with felony auto theft, illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor, operator never licensed, and failure to stop after an accident. Boocher was also charged with theft after taking items into his possession from inside the van during the initial crime.
K.C.S.D. detectives were also able to ascertain surveillance video of Boocher from the Wal-Mart Loss Prevention Department and his involvement. He is currently being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on a $5,250 surety/cash bond.
Due to the severity of incapacitating damage to the stolen vehicle, the victims were transported back to their home in Whitley County by Anderson.