A 30-year-old Homosassa man was arrested in Marion County after he was caught driving a pickup truck that had been reported stolen by his father.
On Tuesday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy was notified that a black pickup truck had been reported stolen out of Citrus County, and the suspect was possibly heading towards Salt Springs in Marion County, according to the arrest report.
The deputy searched the area for the stolen pickup truck and eventually spotted it on NE 175th Street in Citra. A felony traffic stop was conducted on the pickup truck, and the deputy made contact with the sole occupant of the vehicle, identified in the report as Jerod Donald Laduke.
Laduke was detained outside the pickup truck. After being read his Miranda rights, he stated that he was heading to Salt Springs to visit his girlfriend. He claimed that he was given the keys to the vehicle and was “allowed to use (it),” according to the MCSO report.
The deputy noted in the report that the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office made contact with Laduke’s father who advised in a written statement that he did not give Laduke permission to drive the pickup truck. The victim added that the vehicle’s keys had been placed in an area where his son “would not have access to them.”
The MCSO report stated that Laduke is currently on felony probation for tampering with a witness in reference to a Marion County court case. His probation started on April 28, 2022 and ends on April 27, 2024.
Laduke was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $2,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for grand theft of a motor vehicle and violation of probation.
Laduke is scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8, and a second court date is set for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, August 15, according to jail records.