A man in Cochise County, Arizona, confessed to stealing a semi-truck loaded with brand-new Chevrolet Corvette C8s on February 15. Although the mid-engine sports cars are estimated to have been worth a combined $1.25 million, he claimed that they weren’t the motive for the crime. Instead, he stated that he simply needed a way to get home after being released from prison.
Isaiah Walker is accused of assaulting and robbing the driver of the semi truck after having struck up a conversation with him, and lulled him into a false sense of security. As the driver attempted to enter the cab of his truck, Walker allegedly grabbed the victim and threw him from the vehicle. He then climbed into it, locked the door, and drove the semi Straiout of the parking lot.
A deputy found the truck traveling on Fort Grant Road, and attempted pull it over, according to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office. At first, Walker failed to yield, and police say he started driving erratically, causing other vehicles to veer off the road.
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However, as the truck approached County Line Road, it turned off and Walker stopped the vehicle. He was taken into custody and, when asked why he stole the vehicle, said that the Corvettes had nothing to do with it. Instead, the sheriff’s office reports that Walker simply stated that he needed a truck to get home, as he had just been released from prison.
While that may sound like an unusual reason, it’s a problem that affects thousands of people in America every day, per The Ride Home Program. For instance, the Cochise County Sheriff reports that Walker is originally from Lawton, Oklahoma, which is about 785 miles away from the truck stop where the vehicles were stolen. Although programs exist to help, the enormous number of people in the prison system makes it hard to get to all of them.
“I am extremely proud of the officer and deputy involved in this investigation,” said Wilcox Police Chief Dale Hadfield. “The deputy and officer showed great restraint and patience in bringing a serious crime to a peaceful resolution, all while keeping the property of others from being damaged.”
Fortunately, the driver of the vehicle wasn’t badly hurt, and none of the vehicles were damaged in the incident. As a result, the truck was returned to the driver, who was able to continue on with his delivery. Walker is being charged with multiple felonies, including 11 counts of theft of means of transportation.
