Texas couple arrested for stealing semi truck
A Texas couple was arrested in Las Vegas after police allege they were driving a stolen semi truck cab, and failed to pay for hundreds of dollars worth of diesel fuel from an Allsup’s store.
Las Vegas Police arrested 32-year-old Jason W. Ward, of Adkins, Texas, and 26-year-old Victoria C. Haglund, of San Antonio, Texas. Both were booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center Sept. 9 on felony charges of receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles. Ward also had an active arrest warrant in Texas.
According to a statement of probable cause filed in San Miguel Magistrate Court, LVPD was called to the Allsup’s on Grand Avenue and 7th Street on Sept. 9 after a man failed to pay for fuel.
Allsup’s employees told police that Ward had purchased $426.06 in fuel and other items with a check the previous evening, but then returned to the store in the morning demanding that employees return the check to him. Store employees told Ward the check had only cleared for a portion of the amount owed, and that he still owed $223.06.
Employees told police that Ward took the check, gave a cashier a driver’s license belonging to Haglund and said he would be back in a few hours to pay the remaining amount. Employees saw Ward leave in a blue and green semi truck cab that did not have a license plate.
An LVPD officer later located a blue and green Peterbuilt truck in a parking lot on Mills Avenue, near 10th Street. The officer knocked on the door, but did not receive a response. A bystander told the officer a man wearing a red baseball cap had been driving the truck, and that he’d gone inside the nearby Dollar General store.
The officer located a man wearing a red cap, but he denied being the driver of the truck. He told police his girlfriend was the driver, and when he called for her, a woman emerged from the truck.
Police identified the couple as Ward and Haglund, and after checking criminal databases, police determined Ward had a warrant for his arrest in Bexar County, Texas. Police then checked the truck’s vehicle identification number and learned the truck had been reported stolen in Texas.
Ward was charged with being a fugitive from justice, and felony receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles, misdemeanor fraud and misdemeanor tampering with evidence.
Haglund was charged with felony receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles, and misdemeanor fraud.
At a Sept. 10 hearing, Judge Christian Montaño set Haglund’s bond at $5,000, and ordered that, if released, she is not allowed to leave the state. Judge Montaño also set Ward’s bond at $5,000, and ordered that, if released, he is not allowed to leave the state, but Ward will be extradited to Texas to face charges there. Judge Montaño signed an order giving Texas authorities until Oct. 10 to take Ward into custody.
Haglund was released from SMCDC on Thursday after posting bond. As of this writing, Ward was still in jail.
Ward is scheduled to appear in San Miguel Magistrate Court at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, for a status hearing relating to the fugitive from justice charge. He is also scheduled to appear for an arraignment for his new charges at 10 a.m. on Sept. 24.
Haglund is scheduled to appear in San Miguel Magistrate Court for an arraignment at 10 a.m. on Oct. 15.