Burglar’s Wild Night: Pills, Pot, and a Plate of Deer Meat
Marion County deputies got more than they bargained for Thursday when they responded to a burglary at 2321 SE 173rd Avenue. What started as a routine break-in turned into a naked, snack-filled saga involving weed, pills, and deer meat.
The scene unfolded when neighbor Steve Shelton, tasked with watching Claude Price’s home while he was up north, found the front window smashed. Expecting to shoo away a raccoon or perhaps an adventurous squirrel, Shelton instead discovered 29-year-old Austin Waugh in his birthday suit, lounging comfortably inside. After a moment of stunned disbelief, Shelton called 911.
When deputies arrived, Waugh was found lounging naked on the bed like he was checking into a hotel rather than breaking and entering. Handcuffed without incident (thankfully), Waugh’s escapade became a smorgasbord of legal issues.
In addition to burglary, Waugh helped himself to Price’s food and drinks — including a selection of deer meat, crackers, and alcohol. There was even an empty bottle of vodka and some suspicious pills lying around. Though Waugh claimed no knowledge of the pills, he did admit to smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine while inside the home, all in a day’s work, apparently.
The total damage? A broken window valued at $500 and a feast worth $100 — not exactly Michelin-star dining, but Waugh seemed satisfied enough. With a prior conviction of grand theft already under his belt, Waugh was transported to jail after a brief hospital detour when he decided to bang his head on the patrol car’s cage, twice.
Waugh now faces charges of burglary, petit theft, possession of marijuana, and possession of a prescription drug without, well, a prescription. Moral of the story: If you’re going to crash at someone’s house uninvited, at least bring a robe.
