Steele man arrested for vehicle theft

CARUTHERSVILLE -- A cell phone led to a man's arrest and the recovery of a stolen vehicle Wednesday in Pemiscot County.

Brian Keith Heathcock, 26, of Steele is charged with felony tampering (stealing a motor vehicle), attempted assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest by fleeing.

According to Pemiscot County Sheriff Tommy Greenwell, the sheriff's office received a call at 5:41a.m. Wednesday to the 400 block of Centre Street in Cooter in reference to a stolen vehicle. The owner of a pickup truck told the sheriff's office he started his truck, went back inside his house for a few minutes, and when he returned, the truck was gone.

At 10:12 a.m. the owner of the truck called the sheriff's department and said he had left his cell phone in the truck, and his carrier was "pinging" the phone, which means finding the cell phone tower a phone is in. The phone was located in New Madrid County near Portageville, Greenwell said. This information was dispatched to local officers and New Madrid County officers.

Shortly after the dispatch, Pemiscot County Deputy Lt. Dustin Crawford spotted the truck on northbound Interstate 55 at the 24-mile marker. Crawford conducted a felony stop, and as he was approaching the driver's door, the truck took off northbound again.

A pursuit began involving several Pemiscot County deputies and other local officers. "The pursuit led throughout the county until the truck ran out of gas," Greenwell said.

On Pemiscot County Road 456, the driver -- Heathcock -- jumped from the truck and ran into field. Deputy Tony Dale chased and apprehended Heathcock in the field and took him into custody.

Heathcock then advised deputies that he had swallowed approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine after the chase. Heathcock was taken to Pemiscot County Hospital in Hayti where he was admitted.

Heathcock also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from Pemiscot County charging him with receiving stolen property and failure to appear.

The truck was recovered and returned to the owner, Greenwell said.

For this story and more, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat.