A 28-year-old woman was arrested after a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted her behind the steering wheel of a rental vehicle that was reported stolen.
On Saturday, July 16, the MCSO deputy was conducting a routine patrol around the 3000 block of NW 16th Avenue in Ocala when a red Toyota 4Runner with an Illinois license plate was observed traveling southbound on NW 16th Avenue.
According to the MCSO report, the deputy confirmed through dispatch that the SUV had been reported stolen out of the East Moline Police Department in Illinois. The deputy conducted a traffic stop of the SUV near the 2800 block of NW 17th Avenue.
The driver and sole occupant of the SUV was identified as Talaesha Brionna Johnson.
Johnson told the deputy that her friend had rented the SUV for her while she was in Illinois. She claimed to be unaware that the vehicle was listed as stolen.
The deputy spoke with an East Moline Police Department officer who advised that the SUV was rented from Enterprise on May 25, and it was supposed to be returned on June 13. The officer confirmed that Johnson was the listed suspect in the stolen vehicle case.
A computer search of Johnson revealed that she did not hold a valid driver’s license in Florida or Illinois. The MCSO report indicated that she only possessed a valid Florida identification card.
Johnson was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and she was later released on $4,000 bond. She is facing a felony charge for grand theft of a motor vehicle and a misdemeanor charge for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.