This week Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office reported arresting Melvin Douglas Hawthorne, 34, of Jay for grand theft of a motor vehicle. According to reports, a deputy responded to the victim’s residence in reference to a stolen vehicle Sunday who said Hawthorne stole his truck while he was sleeping between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
According to reports, the victim and his wife said Hawthorne came to their residence the day before around 5 p.m. dropped off by his mother so he could ride with the victim to the bar belonging to the victim’s wife. The victim said he returned to his home with Hawthorne at 2 a.m., according to reports, he found the vehicle and Hawthorne missing when she returned between 4:45 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Reports said the victim told the deputy Hawthorne knew the truck could start just by turning the ignition due to the key broken off inside because he’d ridden in the truck several times before. He also told the deputy he wanted to pursue criminal charges for the theft of his truck.
The deputy went to Hawthorne’s residence and found neither him nor the truck and another deputy found neither at Hawthorne’s girlfriend’s residence, according to reports.
The same day, the second deputy responded to the victim’s address in reference to Hawthorne returning with the truck, reports said, and found Hawthorne lying on a swing on the front porch. The victim said he still wanted to pursue charges against Hawthorne. Based on the victim’s report and the deputy’s own observations, he arrested Hawthorne for grand theft of a vehicle. Reports said Hawthorne is being held without bond because he is currently on probation for battery.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: SRSO charges Jay man, Grand Theft