Tulsa Man Arrested For Stealing Chevy Truck

Police arrested a man they said ditched a stolen truck in a Tulsa resident's front yard Sunday night, April 23, 2017.

Joseph Austin Wagener is in jail for possession of a stolen vehicle and eluding - both after a former felony conviction.

Records show TPD spotted a stolen 2008 Chevrolet Silverado in the 500 block of North College Avenue around 10:30 p.m. Sunday. The officer tried to pull over the truck, but said the driver sped off.

A passenger bailed from the truck as the pursuit started, according to police.

The driver, later identified as the 27-year-old Wagener, drove through neighborhoods and city streets. Police used stop sticks to flatten two of his tires, but he kept going, losing tire tread as he went, police say.

The Tulsa Police helicopter helped keep track of the vehicle, and Wagener finally left the truck in a front yard in the 5900 block of East King Place.

He was taken into custody without further incident, according to TPD. The passenger was never located.

Records show Wagener was convicted on March 22, 2017, of possession of methamphetamine, eluding police, obstruction and driving without a license.