Two men have been arrested and charged with theft for allegedly stealing a Kubota tractor parked next to Interstate 30 near FM 561.
According to Bowie County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Neal on Sunday, July 5 James Bradford reported a 2015 Kubota tractor valued at $42,000 stolen. According to Bradford the tractor had been left on the side of Interstate 30 close to Farm to Market 561 on July 2, 2015 and when he returned on Sunday, July 5, 2015 the tractor was gone.
According to Neal on Monday, July 6 Captain Palmore received a phone call from an anonymous caller who said that 19-year-old Cody Karr and 36-year-old Charles Garton were the persons who had stolen this tractor.
“According to the caller, the two had used the stolen tractor to pull Garton’s truck from the mud where it was stuck on Chicken Ranch Road,” Said Neal.
According to Neal another resident told Bradford that his tractor had been observed driving down Check Ranch Road.
On July 6, 2015 at 4:33 pm, Randy Satterfield, stepfather of Cody Karr, called 911 to report that he had located a tractor on his property.
According to Neal Deputy Nick Moses responded to Mr. Satterfield’s property and located Bradford’s stolen tractor which was extensively damaged to the point that it would not even start.
Investigator McCarver prepared probable cause affidavits for theft over $20,000 and under $100,000 and Judge Talley determined probable cause existed to issue arrest warrants for Karr and Garton.
According to Neal Deputy Kenny McMillen located Garton driving down Highway 259 and took him into custody without incident where he confessed to stealing this tractor along with Karr.
“Later deputies went to a home in the 3200 block of County Road 4235 in an attempt to locate Karr,” said Neal.” “As they approached the house, Karr fled from the backdoor.” Sergeant Allison, who was covering the backdoor with his canine partner Barry, observed Karr flee so he released Barry who was able to catch and subdue Karr.
According to Neal a search of the home where Karr fled from produced a .45 caliber handgun that had been reported stolen to the Texarkana, Texas Police Department.
Karr and Garton were both transported to Bi-State. Karr faces an additional theft of a firearm charge, and three additional warrants.
Judge Nancy Talley set both Karr’s and Garton’s bond for their charge of Theft Over $20,000 and Under $100,000 at $40,000 each and Karr’s bond for his Theft of a Firearm charge was set at $10,000.
