Tad McCrumb, an inspector from the City of Battle Creek Engineering Department, pulled up to the intersection of Fountain Street and Capitol Avenue on Wednesday to check on work progress. New traffic signals were being replaced and he had stopped by to see how the work was coming. He parked behind a cement truck and got out, leaving the vehicle turned off but the keys in the ignition to make it easier for a contractor to move the truck if it happened to be in the way.
At about 1:45 someone told him his truck was being driven away, and not by a contractor. The police were called to report the stolen truck, but as it turns out, they weren’t the only ones with cause for concern. While officers were taking the stolen vehicle report, several other motorists had called 911 to report seeing the truck being driven erratically down the road. Someone finally decided to follow along in their car to make sure everything was OK until police arrived.
Driver of stolen truck was drunk with outstanding warrants
Police found and followed the truck, causing the driver to pull over on Territorial Road. The driver was a 40 year old man from Battle Creek who was intoxicated. He was arrested for drunk driving and outstanding warrants, and is currently being held in the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department.
The driver has been charged with unlawfully driving away an automobile, also known as car theft, which is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. He was also charged with operating while intoxicated, or “drunk driving”, which is a misdemeanor punishable by jail time and possible fines and community service. The prosecution will be in the Calhoun County Circuit Court.