A bad battery foiled a Greenwood man’s effort to drive off in a beverage truck Monday.
“Lucky it’s got a bad battery in it,” said Elex Forrest, one of the Clark Beverage Group employees who were startled when a man jumped into one of the company’s 18-wheelers, put it in gear and began to drive off the lot of the Coca-Cola distributor.
The man didn’t get very far, though, only past the company’s gates before stalling out on Yalobusha Street when the vehicle’s battery died.
The man was also apparently unfamiliar with driving an 18-wheeler, as he didn’t release the air brake, according to Forrest, a senior swingman. That would have prevented the driver from shifting into a higher gear.
Police officers who had been called to the scene arrived at about 6:45 a.m. and arrested the suspect without incident.
Police Chief Terrence Craft said the suspect was being held in custody on Monday evening. A charge of grand larceny is expected, according to Craft. The Commonwealth generally does not publish the names of suspects in custody until they are formally charged. The Greenwood Police Department arrest docket had yet to reflect any charges for the suspect as of Monday evening.
Craft said detectives have yet to determine the motivation behind the suspect’s desire to take the truck.
Elex Forrest said he and other Clark Beverage employees were stunned early Monday morning when a man jumped into the cab of one of the company's 18-wheelers and tried to drive away. (By Tim Kalich)
Forrest said the man had earlier Monday asked Forrest and several other Clark Beverage employees to borrow their vehicles. At one point, according to Forrest, the suspect got into an unlocked pickup truck of one of the employees but was chased out of it.
Meanwhile, an 18-wheeler, with its engine running, was backed up at the company’s dock for reloading when the man jumped into the cab and attempted his short-lived caper.
It was an unusual way to start a Monday, said Forrest. “A little bit too early in the morning,” he said.
- Contact Tim Kalich at 662-581-7243 or tkalich@gwcommonwealth.com. Contact Kevin Edwards at 662-581-7233 or kedwards@gwcommonwealth.com.
