Two men, woman arrested in connection with stolen vehicle
Sheriff’s files
STEVEN MROSS
The Sentinel-Record staff
Two men and one woman were arrested Sunday evening after they were reportedly stopped fleeing in a stolen vehicle that was being chased by the vehicle’s owner.
Charles James Petty, 30, who lists an address of 158 Gatehouse Road, and Ashley Ann Hegwood, 27, and Michael Anthony Caparella, 34, who both list an address of 309 Owl Creek Road in Royal, were all taken into custody shortly before 5:30 p.m. and each charged with a felony count of theft by receiving, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Petty was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of an instrument of crime, punishable by up to one year in jail. Petty was later released on $3,500 and Hegwood and Caparella were each released on $2,500 bond and all are set to appear Feb. 25 in Garland County District Court.
According to Garland County Sheriff’s Department reports, a call was received by dispa tc h f ro m Hot Springs police around 5 p.m. about a stolen vehicle, a white 2003 Chevrolet Impala, that was spotted headed toward Piney Junction.
The owner of the vehicle, 22, of Hot Springs, was following the vehicle and stated it had turned onto Thornton Ferry Road where it was spotted by GCSD Deputies Clayton Green and Jeremy Simpson, who were at the junction and followed it.
As the car turned into the apartment complex at 404 Thornton Ferry Road, the deputies made a traffic stop on it and ordered the driver, identified as Petty, and the passengers, identified as Hegwood and Caparella, out of the vehicle and detained them.
A check of the vehicle identification number confirmed it was stolen and in searching it they found numerous items including knives, clear baggies, zipper bags and a police scanner in the back seat. The scanner was turned on and monitoring traffic from the sheriff’s department.
The owner was at the scene to get his vehicle, which was reportedly valued at $2,500. All three suspects were charged in connection with the stolen vehicle and Petty was also charged for having the scanner.
