A 56-year-old Marion County man was arrested after he was accused of stealing a golf cart from a local residence.
On Monday, January 8, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal spoke with a female victim who advised that her golf cart had been stolen from her home located on NE 36th Avenue in Anthony. She advised that the theft had occurred between 8 p.m. on January 4 and 7 a.m. on January 5, according to the arrest report.
The victim told the corporal that a man, identified in the report as George Ludlow Watson, Jr., had completed various jobs for her over the past several months. On or around January 1, the victim stated that Watson needed a temporary place to stay, and she allowed him to stay on a shed located on her property since she still had a few jobs for him to complete.
The victim stated that she observed her E-Z-GO golf cart under her carport on January 4 at around 8 p.m. The following day, at around 7 a.m., the victim’s spouse exited the home and noticed that the golf cart was missing.
The corporal noted in the report that the victim’s golf cart was valued at approximately $3,500.
When the victim and her spouse confronted Watson at his home located in the 700 block of E Highway 316 in Citra, he allegedly confessed to the theft. According to the victim’s statement in the report, Watson claimed to have been intoxicated when he allegedly “(took) the golf cart to go to Sparr.”
While heading to Sparr, Watson allegedly told the victim that the golf cart lost power in the area of W Highway 316, between NW 16th Avenue and NW 21st Court. Watson then took the victim and her spouse to this location and the golf cart was recovered, though its battery charger ($545 value) was missing, according to the report.
The victim stated that Watson claimed that the charger “may have fallen off,” but he was unsure where this may have occurred. She added that Watson “denied doing anything with the charger.” The report stated that at around 2 p.m. on January 5, Watson sent a text message to the victim stating that he was “truly sorry” and “willing to pay for the charger.”
On Tuesday, January 9, the corporal and several deputies responded to Watson’s residence and made contact with him. After being read his Miranda rights, Watson stated that he “drank a case of beer” and “blacked out” around the time of the theft. He further admitted to taking the golf cart without the victim’s permission to go to a store in Sparr, according to the report.
The post-Miranda interview concluded when Watson requested to have a lawyer present. A pat-down search of Watson was then conducted, and the report stated that a green leafy substance was found inside his wallet. This substance field-tested positive for marijuana.
Watson was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on a $4,000 bond. He is being charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, first-degree petit theft over $100 but less than $750, and possession of marijuana (20 grams or less).
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.