A 30-year-old Cleveland man remained in the Hall County Jail early Wednesday afternoon following his weekend arrest on vehicle theft and burglary charges for crimes he allegedly committed over a span of several hours.
Shawn Lewis Brown was arrested at Don Carter State Park after the park manager reported a “suspicious” man was trying to enter several vehicles in the park, including one belonging to the park’s gate attendant. But before sheriff’s deputies could arrive, he entered the park’s horse corral and then ran into the woods.
“A K9 team responded to the park, tracked Brown into the woods, and saw him hiding in thick brush,” Hall County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman B.J. Williams said. “He initially obeyed commands to lie down on the ground, but before deputies could reach him, he suddenly jumped up and ran. Another responding deputy found Brown on the road leading to the park campsites and was able to detain him.”
But that was just the tail end of a mini-crime spree that had begun several hours earlier.
“The investigation determined Brown had arrived at the park in a Freightliner septic truck that had been stolen earlier that morning from Billy Bell Plumbing on Zander Drive,” Williams said. “Deputies determined Brown was responsible for the theft.”
Brown was charged with the following:
- Burglary in the second degree (entered a building at Billy Bell Plumbing)
- Theft by taking (theft of $100,000 septic truck from Billy Bell Plumbing)
- Criminal damage to property (damage to two doors frames and a truck control module belonging to Billy Bell Plumbing)
- Entering automobile (Don Carter State Park)
- Obstruction of an officer (Don Carter State Park)