Local Man Finds Out Running from the Law is No Joyride
In a classic case of “don’t leave your keys in the car,” a Salt Springs resident learned the hard way that a quick fix on your sister’s ride might lead to a wild chase involving law enforcement, woods, and a rather disgruntled K-9 partner.
On October 12, 2024, at around 3:19 PM, Deputy A. Heber was called to the scene after Brady Bussel reported his sister, Marian Carroll, had left her 1998 Nissan Sentra, sporting Florida tag NREB33, parked in his yard while he conducted some vehicle maintenance. However, trouble arose when a friend of the family, Billy Wilson, noticed the car had vanished during a casual drive-by.
Upon realizing the car was missing, Bussel reached out to his sister, who confirmed she hadn’t taken it anywhere. Deputy Heber quickly stepped in, and after some detective work, the vehicle was identified as belonging to the victim, valued at a respectable $3,000.
The plot thickened when Bussel mentioned overhearing his sister’s boyfriend, David Owen, bragging about being “on the run” over a stolen vehicle. Seems he couldn’t keep his stories straight or his legs still.
Fast forward to October 14, when Deputy B. Childress spotted the infamous Sentra cruising down Highway 316. Before he could put the pedal to the metal and catch up, Owen decided to ditch the ride and flee into the nearby woods, proving once again that the great outdoors and the law don’t mix well.
Enter K-9 Deputy D. Christmas and his trusty partner, King, who wasted no time tracking down Owen. After an exhausting chase through the brush, King apprehended Owen at the 21400 block of NE 150th St. During a post-Miranda interview, Owen sheepishly admitted to stealing the car.
Owen is now facing charges for grand theft of a motor vehicle, resisting without violence, and driving with a suspended license. After a little medical attention at Advent Hospital for his various injuries, he was booked into Marion County Jail, where he might finally learn that joyrides have consequences.
