A Hot Springs man pleaded guilty Monday to felony and misdemeanor charges for breaking into a car wash near Hot Springs Village earlier this year and stealing a tire.
Justin Raymond Taylor, 27, who was set to stand trial Oct. 2, pleaded guilty in Garland County Circuit Court to felony counts of breaking or entering and first-degree criminal mischief and was sentenced to three years' probation on each count. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of theft of property more than $1,000 and was sentenced to one year of probation, with all the sentences to run concurrently.
Taylor, who lists a Turtlecreek Road address, was also fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $420 in court costs. He was arrested March 5 and remained in custody until he was released April 30 on $3,500 bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Feb. 27, the owner of Snubby's Car Wash, 3939 Highway 7 north, reported that someone had cut the doors to his automatic wash bays and stolen two security cameras. He said someone also entered the outside fenced area of his tire shop next door and removed a tire.
Garland County sheriff's Investigator Benny Rowe reviewed security video of the break-in and could see a white male cut the blue vinyl door to make entry to the wash bays and then leave carrying a tire. It was noted the value of the two doors that were cut and the stolen tire was estimated at more than $4,000.
The car wash owner's wife posted the security video on social media and got a tip identifying the male as Taylor. When Taylor was arrested March 2 for shoplifting, Rowe questioned him about the break-in to the car wash.
Initially, Taylor denied being involved, but after being shown a photo from the security video he admitted to using a knife to cut the doors and going in. He said he didn't take anything from the car wash and could not give a reason for breaking in.
When asked about the tire he was seen carrying, he admitted he took it from the tire shop next door. He said he had walked to the car wash and started walking back toward Hot Springs. He said he got tired of carrying the tire and left it on Fox Pass Cutoff.
Local on 07/19/2018