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ELKINS -- A Virginia man who allegedly received and transferred a vehicle in Randolph County that was reported as stolen is now facing extradition after the vehicle charge was dismissed.
Nathan Aaron Eckard, 46, of Elkton, Virginia, will be extradited back to Virginia. Randolph County Magistrate Benjamin Shepler issued the extradition charge, and transferred the case to Randolph County Circuit Court on April 14.
Eckard was previously charged in Randolph County with one count of receiving and transferring a stolen vehicle, a felony. The charge was dismissed by Randolph County Magistrate Tracy Harper during Eckard's preliminary hearing on April 14.
According to the criminal complaint, prepared by West Virginia State Police Corporal S. P. Miller, on April 6, Miller was contacted and informed by Pendleton County Sheriff's Department Deputy Raines about the location of a possibly stolen vehicle in Randolph County, specifically in the Harman area.
Miller was told the vehicle, a white 1996 Chevy Silverado bearing a Virginia registration, had been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and was now possibly in the possession of Eckard in Harman, according to the complaint.
Miller, alongside Trooper First Class E. B. Malcomb, then searched the Harman area and located the described vehicle on Water Street. Harman is a two hour and 12 minute drive from Elkton, Virginia, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Miller had officials run a search on the vehicle. It was discovered that the vehicle had been entered by the Virginia State Police as stolen with a theft date of March 18.
Miller then made contact with a resident in the home that the vehicle was found near, who was identified as Eckard through a Virginia operator's license. When asked by Miller as to "who had been operating or was in possession of said vehicle," Eckard said that he had been operating it and that the vehicle "belonged to his brother," according to the complaint.
Before he was taken into custody by Miller, Eckard claimed that he was not aware that the vehicle had been reported as stolen, the complaint states..