An Oklahoma man was arrested in Wilcox, Ariz., last week for stealing a car hauler filled with 10 Chevrolet Corvettes.
The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that Isaiah Walker grabbed the driver of the truck and threw him to the ground as he was entering the vehicle in a truck stop parking lot.
Walker then took off and was spotted by police who tried to stop the vehicle, but Walker “began driving recklessly” and ran several vehicles off the road as he tried to get away.
The truck eventually stopped and officers were able to take him into custody without injury or further incident.
“I am extremely proud of the officer and deputy involved in this investigation,” Police Chief Dale Hadfield said.
“The deputy and officer showed great restraint and patience in bringing a serious crime to a peaceful resolution, all while keeping the property of others from being damaged. The stolen vehicle was safely recovered without damage and was released to the driver so he could continue his delivery. Again, I thank the officer and deputy who were involved in this investigation for keeping our citizens safe.”
Police said Walker told them he wasn’t trying to steal the cars, but had recently been released from prison and needed a ride home.
He was charged with 11 counts of “theft of means of transportation” and felony theft.
The 10 Corvettes had an estimated value of more than $1.25 million and were delivered to their destination undamaged.