Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Two Arrested For Local Theft

Two Ozan men have been charged under Arkansas's habitual offender law in connection with the theft of parts from a truck at Tim Ashbrook Auto.

According to court records, Johnathan Woods and Jason Watson, both of Ozan, have been charged as habitual offenders, along with theft of property and breaking or entering.

The theft occurred sometime during the weekend of April 7-8, after the used car lot was closed.

On Monday, April 9, Ashbrook reported the theft of a Holley carburetor, Eldebrock valve covers, a battery, alternator and air conditioner compressor from a truck on the lot. The parts were valued at $615.

He told Prescott Police Department's criminal investigator, Morris Irvin, about a customer who had shown an unusual interest in the truck's engine parts on either April 6 or 7.

Through the investigation, Irvin talked with a Deserae Allen, who said the two had come to her place of work wanting to borrow her car. As she knew them, she did.

A few minutes later, the reports state, the two returned, taking several auto parts from her car and putting it into Watson's.

Watson apologized to Allen for breaking her screwdriver.

When she went home at 2 a.m., she found Watson and Woods there, along with several automotive parts on her living room floor. Watson reportedly told her the parts were given to him by an uncle.

A warrant was obtained to search the homes of Watson and Woods in Ozan. There, officials found the missing parts and took them back to Prescott for identification purposes.

The parts matched those taken from the truck, and the pair were arrested.

With both Watson and Woods having at least four prior felony convictions, they were charged under the state's habitual offender law.

This is a class D felony with a punishment of up to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

The breaking or entering and theft charge is a class C felony, with a 3-10 year stretch in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

Both are being held in the Nevada County jail without bail.