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Watch: Stolen truck suspect arrested after pursuit in Plant City
A man accused of stealing a truck in Plant City is facing several charges after Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives and an aviation unit tracked him down during a pursuit Tuesday afternoon.
PLANT CITY, Fla. - A man accused of stealing a truck in Plant City is facing several charges after Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives and an aviation unit tracked him down during a pursuit Tuesday afternoon.
Timeline:
According to HCSO, Eric Wells, 50, was the main suspect in the theft of a Ford-150.
Over the past month, Wells tried to hide the truck’s identity by switching the vehicle’s tags and removing items like a toolbox and ladder rack.
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On Tuesday at 1:50 p.m., detectives located Wells driving the stolen truck in Plant City. A chase ensued and Wells stopped at a fenced area near a Marathon gas station off Branch Forbes Road.
Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
An HCSO aviation unit watched from above as Wells got out of the vehicle and threw a backpack into the woods nearby before being taken into custody by detectives.
Detectives found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside the backpack, HCSO said.
What's next:
Wells faces the following charges:
- Grand theft of a motor vehicle
- Burglary of an unoccupied conveyance
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Trafficking in amphetamine (28–200 grams)
- Driving with license canceled, suspended, or revoked (3rd offense)
- Resisting officer without violence
- Tampering with physical evidence
The Source: Information and video for this story was provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.