Police say thief drove past them in stolen truck
Butler police say a Lawrence County man stole a pickup truck from a store parking lot Monday because he needed a ride home.
But he didn't even make it out of town.
The alleged suspect, Jason C. Fronius, 36, of New Castle, remains behind bars on a felony theft charge.
The victim, a 61-year-old Butler Township man, told police he drove his 2010 GMC Sierra crew cab to the E-Z Stop on North Main Street about 10:20 a.m. He went into the store, police said, leaving his keys in the truck.
Moments later, the red pickup was reported stolen. Patrolman Myles Bizub got the call and headed to the store. He soon spotted a red GMC Sierra traveling north on Main Street near North Street.
Police said Bizub stopped at the store long enough to touch base with the owner.
“The (victim) pointed to the red GMC traveling north on Main,” according to court documents, “and confirmed it as being his vehicle that was just stolen.”
The officer stopped the suspect, later identified as Fronius, on North Main Street near Polk Street. He was ordered out of the vehicle and arrested.
While police searched the defendant, he allegedly blurted out a confession and an apparent motive: “I was just trying to get back to New Castle.”
District Judge William Fullerton arraigned Fronius on a felony count of theft, and remanded him to the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Monday.
