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Peyatt
BUCKHANNON -- A Buckhannon man faces several charges after allegedly being found with two vehicles reported stolen from a local business.
William Thomas Peyatt, 21, of Buckhannon, was arrested for receiving or transferring stolen property, a felony; destruction of property, a misdemeanor and possession of meth, a misdemeanor, in one case and unlawful taking of a vehicle, a misdemeanor, in the second case.
On Sept. 4, Upshur County Sheriff's deputy Joseph D. Barcus received a call of a stolen vehicle on Third Street that had been reported stolen from Highway to Heaven LLC on Route 20 South earlier in the morning, according to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk's office. Barcus found the 2005 GMC Canyon and Christian Tyler Jerrell sitting in the passenger seat. Several employees of Highway to Heaven stated they observed Peyatt driving the vehicle north on Route 20 but that Peyatt had taken off running behind a trailer. Both Peyatt and Jerrell were detained for being in possession of the suspected stolen vehicle, although Jerrell was released.
Barcus found a wallet on the driver's side floorboard with Billy scratched on the front of it and a B-UHS diploma card belonging to Peyatt inside.
Barcus also allegeldy found a used syringe with suspected methamphetamine inside, a blue marijuana bowl and several keys inside the center console. The keys were later reported to be taken from the business. An orange first aid kit and a pair of fliers with the handle painted partially blue were also found which the business had painted blue.
Jerell told Barcus that Peyatt picked him up in the truck early morning.
Peyatt was arrested and searched by Cpl. Tyler Gordon who allegedly found a used methamphetamine smoking device, a baggie containing suspected methamphetamine and a plastic container with suspected methamphetamine in the pocket.
Peyatt told Barcus that the first time he saw the truck was Sept. 4.
"I then asked him if he knew who had stolen the truck, and he refused to tell me, I also observed that the passenger's side tail light of the truck had been partially broken, and that it had not been broken prior to the vehicle being stolen," Barcus wrote in the criminal complaint.
Employees told Barcus that several keys belonging to the customers were taken and that they had discovered a side door beside the garage partially ajar.
On Aug. 27, Barcus received a call of a stolen 2003 white Ford 150 short bed truck stolen from Tim Shaw, of Highpoint Construction. The last time the vehicle had been seen was about 6 p.m. on Aug. 26. Shaw said other employees had seen the vehicle around Buckhannon throughout the day but didn't realize it wasn't being driven by another employee.
On Friday, Aug. 28, Sr. Trooper P.J. Robinette and Senior Trooper J.S. Tonkin with the Buckhannon detachment of the West Virginia State Police notified Barcus they found the vehicle at 36 Thelma Ave. and that Peyatt was driving the vehicle. After arriving on scene, Barcus learned from a juvenile in the truck that Peyatt had picked her and Jerrell up in town and took them to Kesling Mill Road where they had been working all day.
Barcus told Peyatt that the vehicle was stolen and had a GPS tracker on it and that he was captured on video getting into the vehicle.
Peyatt responded, "Well, I guess we got ourselves a mystery then, don't we."
Barcus stopped the questioning and took Peyatt to the sheriff's department for processing where Peyatt allegedly said, "Well, the keys were in it, so that's joyriding."
Magistrate Mike Coffman set bond at $30,000 for the Sept. 4 charges and Magistrate Kay Hurst set bond at $1,500 for the unlawful taking of a vehicle from Aug. 27.