Allen Howell

SAXONBURG — A Tennessee man is accused of stealing a car that he rented at a Penn Township business earlier this summer.

The defendant, Allen P. Howell, 36, of Knoxville, is charged with a felony count of theft of leased property and a misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Howell on Wednesday waived the charges to court before his preliminary hearing at the office of District Judge Sue Haggerty in Saxonburg. He remains in the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail.

Penn Township police said the defendant on Aug. 24 rented a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu from Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Route 8. Under the lease agreement, he was supposed to return the car Sept. 11.

But he didn't, police said.

Agency officials sent emails and a certified letter to Howell and left him telephone messages, according to court documents; however, the vehicle was still not returned by Oct. 24, when police got an arrest warrant for him.

Authorities eventually traced the car to Belmont County, Ohio, using the OnStar tracking system, said police Sgt. Cheryl Cranmer. Officers on Nov. 2 went there and found Howell sleeping in the car.

The car, which was undamaged, was returned to its owner.

At an earlier court appearance, Howell told Haggerty that he had been working for three months as a welder for a Texas-based pipeline company. He also said he is the father of two children, ages 2 and 8.

He is due in Butler County Court Jan. 15 for his formal arraignment.