Schoolcraft

BUCKHANNON – An Upshur County man faces felony and misdemeanor charges, including attempted grand larceny, after allegedly trying to break into a vehicle as an accomplice in March.

Joshua Layne Schoolcraft, 19, is charged with one count of attempted grand larceny and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony, both felonies. He is also charged with one count of obstructing by fleeing from an officer, a misdemeanor.

Schoolcraft is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $10,500 surety/cash bond.

According to the criminal complaint, filed by Deputy R.T. Lamb with the Upshur County Sheriff Office, on March 24, Lamb was notified by the Upshur County Communication Center of an emergency call reporting “suspicious persons” attempting to break into the caller’s vehicle near Valley Green Drive.

The caller, according to the complaint, described the two “suspicious persons” as one wearing a grey hoodie and the other wearing a black hoodie and a backpack.

When Lamb arrived on the scene, the caller informed him that the suspects were running away on foot between the 1000 and 2000 buildings of Valley Green Drive. According to the complaint, Lamb pursued the suspects on foot “announcing ‘Sheriff’s Office.'” After the suspects split up, Lamb was able to apprehend the suspect in the grey hoodie, who was identified as Dakota Paul Alderman.

One large black beanie, one black glove and a yellow and black flathead screwdriver were found in a fanny pack allegedly on Alderman’s person, according to the complaint.

The second suspect, who was later identified to be Schoolcraft, fled on foot past the laundry room of the Valley Green Apartments and dropped a red screwdriver “he had possessed during the incident,” the complaint states.

The alleged victim told Lamb he had seen the suspects across from their residence, yanking on the door of their vehicle, according to the complaint. Lamb was also told that the suspect in the grey hoodie, identified as Alderman, was the one attempting to enter the vehicle. They also, according to the complaint, informed the two suspects prior to Lamb’s arrival that the police had been notified.

According to the complaint, the approximate value of the caller’s vehicle, according to Carvana Value Tracker, is $10,400.

On July 16, according to the complaint, Lamb advised Schoolcraft of his Miranda Rights. Schoolcraft allegedly told Lamb that, on March 24, Alderman had expressed a need to acquire a vehicle. Schoolcraft allegedly said both he and Alderman had observed a running vehicle that Alderman attempted to open the driver’s side door of before the owner ran them off.

Schoolcraft allegedly admitted to Lamb that he had possessed the red screwdriver and the other black glove during the incident, the complaint states. He also allegedly told Lamb that he had fled to “the bowling alley” after being chased by police.

According to the complaint, Lamb also obtained a statement from a confidential source that claimed that, in the days following the incident, Schoolcraft made “boastful statements” that police would “never find the other glove” that was found with Alderman because Schoolcraft had it.