By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Tom T. Kemp

WARSAW — A man will serve four years in prison after being found driving a stolen vehicle in Warsaw.

Tom T. Kemp, 39, Marion, was charged with auto theft, a level 5 felony. A habitual offender charge and a second auto theft charge were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Kemp was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court One on Monday, Aug. 24.

On April 3, Warsaw Police officers received a report about a possible impaired driver traveling north on SR 15. According to court documents, an officer found the vehicle in the area of South Detroit Street and East Market Street in downtown Warsaw.

An officer began following the vehicle and saw it completely cross the white fog line on the right side of the roadway on Winona Avenue, in front of Fellowship Missions, driving through the parking lot and then correcting and continuing on. The officer then pulled the vehicle over.

The driver identified himself as Kemp. When asked for his driver’s license, Kemp said he didn’t have one because his wallet had been stolen. Kemp told officers that the vehicle belonged to his friend and that he was borrowing it.

Officers ran a check on the vehicle, which was reported as stolen from the Indianapolis area. Dispatch confirmed that Kemp is unlicensed and only has an Indiana identification card.

While searching Kemp, officers found a wallet belonging to the registered owner of the truck, along with a Social Security card, store loyalty cards and receipts.

At the time of the theft, Kemp was on probation for auto theft in Howard County.

For auto theft, Kemp was sentenced by Kosciusko Superior Court One Judge David Cates to serve four years in the Indiana Department of Correction.