A Key West man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly stole a vehicle because he wanted a “joy ride.”
Jason Aaron Gibson, 40, was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.
Around 3:30 p.m., Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies were investigating a hit-and-run accident involving an orange Jeep when they spotted a matching vehicle at the Chevron gas station in Marathon. The Jeep was parked and running on the side of the gas station, but it was unoccupied, according to the report. A witness told the deputies that an intoxicated white male with no shirt was walking around, although one of the deputies had spoken to him and the man said he didn’t know anything about the Jeep.
While searching the Jeep for the contact information of the owner, the deputies noticed the man walking away from the gas station. The deputies stopped him, identified him as Gibson, and asked where he was going. Gibson said he was waiting for a ride, according to the report.
Meanwhile, deputies made contact with the Jeep’s owner, who didn’t realize it had been stolen. The owner said the vehicle was new and shouldn’t have any damage, but deputies noted the Jeep had scratches, dents and damage to the front wheel, consistent with a crash.
Gibson reportedly placed his hands behind his back and told deputies to arrest him. He later hesitantly admitted to stealing the Jeep, adding that he stole it from a job site and simply wanted to have a “joy ride” that morning.
Deputies arrested Gibson and transported him to the Monroe County Detention Center, where he was being held without bond.
Information in the Crime Report is obtained from reports provided by area law enforcement agencies.
If you have information that could help solve a crime in the Florida Keys, call Crime Stoppers, 800-346-TIPS.