Staff Report

Ronald Lee Bailey

CLAYPOOL — A Claypool man was recently arrested after allegedly stealing a catalytic converter from a truck.

Ronald Lee Bailey, 52, 9329 S. Packerton Road, Claypool, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a narcotic drug, and theft, all level 6 felonies; and possession of methamphetamine with enhancing circumstances and possession of a narcotic drug with enhancing circumstances, both level 5 felonies.

On Aug. 5, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officer responded to a complaint regarding a suspicious vehicle in the area of CR 550S and SR 15 in Claypool. A caller said they believed someone was using power tools to remove parts from a pickup truck parked in a nearby field.

When the officer arrived on scene, he saw a beige Oldsmobile and recognized the person in the vehicle’s driver’s seat as Bailey. According to court documents, Bailey said he had just ran out of gasoline and was waiting for a friend for assistance. While speaking with Bailey, the officer saw a small bag with drug residue in the driver’s door handle. He also saw a small reciprocator saw blade partially underneath one of the vehicle’s floor mats.

While being taken into custody, Bailey asked the officer to throw the bag away on several occasions. Officers walked the area of the field up to the parked pickup truck and found a pack of cigarettes and two saw blades underneath the truck. The saw blades were the same brand as those found in Bailey’s vehicle. Upon further search, officers found a catalytic converter, a reciprocator saw with Bailey’s name written on it, and 16 saw blades. Officers also found a business card containing a substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine and heroin.

The catalytic converter had been sawed off from underneath the pickup truck parked in the field. The truck’s owner did not give anyone permission to remove items from the truck.

Bailey is on pretrial release for methamphetamine and narcotic drug possession, as well as operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He has been previously convicted of theft, dealing methamphetamine, and resisting law enforcement.

For this case, Bailey was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Aug. 6, with a $10,500 surety and cash bond.