Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Three individuals face felony theft charges after police said they towed a disabled vehicle to a Jonesboro business parking lot and sold it to a recycling center, where it was crushed before police could recover it.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on July 15, Jonesboro police received a report that three days prior, a victim’s Nissan Pathfinder became disabled in the parking lot of a business on North Culberhouse and was left there overnight. When she returned the following morning to get the vehicle, it was gone.
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During the investigation, detectives reviewed Flock LPR data, which showed the vehicle being towed on July 13 by a white Chevrolet Silverado. They identified the owner of the Silverado and made contact with the driver, 44-year-old Lindsay Leighann Baker, requesting that she come to the police department for an interview.
Detectives also reviewed records and discovered that the Pathfinder had been sold to Kings Recycling by 39-year-old Ronnie Lee Hicks on July 13 for $433.20.
On July 16, detectives went to Kings Recycling to try to recover the vehicle, but they learned from employees that it had already been crushed.
Baker eventually went to the police department for an interview. She said that 29-year-old Ladarius Dejuan Lee had asked her to tow what he claimed was “his vehicle” because he was unable to do it himself. She admitted that she drove the Silverado and towed the Pathfinder to Kings Recycling.
Baker remained inside the truck while Hicks went out because she explained he was familiar with the employees at Kings Recycling. Hicks received $433.20 for the vehicle, kept $200, and gave the remaining funds to Lee.
Video footage showed Baker, Hicks, and Lee actively removing the Pathfinder and assisting in towing it to Kings Recycling.
Lee was arrested on July 18 and appeared before District Judge Tommy Fowler on July 20, who found probable cause to charge Lee with theft of a vehicle valued at $5,000 or less but greater than $1,000, a class D felony. Lee was given a $15,000 cash or surety bond.
Baker and Hicks were both arrested on July 25 and appeared before District Judge David Boling on July 27. They each also face a charge of theft of a vehicle valued at $5,000 or less but greater than $1,000. Baker was given a $7,500 cash or surety bond, and Hicks was given a $25,000 cash or surety bond.
Baker, Hicks, and Lee are each scheduled to be back in court on Sept. 30. If convicted, they face up to six years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
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