By By Lisa Tindell- news editor
East Brewton Police Chief B.C. Cooper's car was stolen last week and recovered in Florida - but the vehicle was Cooper's personal car bought at auction after it was out of service as a police vehicle.
The vehicle reported stolen by Daniel Jandran, owner of DJ's Paint and Body Shop on Forrest Avenue, was owned by Cooper.
According to a report filed by East Brewton officer Kenneth Brazile, the vehicle was reported stolen around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12.
Jandran called the East Brewton Police Department to ask if Cooper had picked up the vehicle, Brazile said in his report. Jandran said the vehicle was in the business parking area at 6 p.m., but when he returned to the shop area at 6:30 p.m., the vehicle was not in the lot.
Cooper was contacted by phone and told Brazile he had not picked up the car, nor had he authorized anyone else to pick up the vehicle, the report stated. A .357 Magnum and SKS rifle were reportedly in the vehicle at the time of the theft.
Escambia County, Fla., sheriff's deputies seized the vehicle at 6 a.m. the next day on U.S. 29 in the Molino area, Brazile said in the report.
Law enforcement officers with the Florida agency said the suspect in the car theft was found sitting in the vehicle along the roadside on U.S. 29 between McDavid and Molino.
Curdy Curtis Dortch, 33, address unknown, was arrested by officers at the scene and was booked into the Escambia County, Fla., jail on three charges: one count of driving while license suspended or revoked; one count of dealing in stolen property; and one count of providing false information/identification to law enforcement officer.
Dortch admitted to taking the vehicle on Tuesday evening, but he claimed to have no knowledge of any weapons that may have been in the vehicle at the time, Brazile said.
Dortch remained in custody at the Escambia County, Fla., jail in Pensacola as of Friday, said Barbara Wertz, director of corrections for the Florida agency.
Wertz said Dortch would not give officers a home address when he was arrested.