TOMBALL, Texas – Talk about bold! And ... not so smart ... because a former Houston area car dealership employee was arrested after allegedly deciding to take a police patrol vehicle out for a joyride, without permission. Not only that, according to law enforcement, the suspect said it was not his first time.
Santi Timario, 24, has been charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle.
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According to Harris County Precinct 4, Timario was a porter at Parkway Chevrolet in Tomball, where the patrol vehicle - a Chevy Tahoe - had been dropped off for service on June 16.
Later that evening, Timario allegedly took it out for a spin, literally.
According to charging documents, a Precinct 4 lieutenant was dispatched to the Katy Metro Park and Ride in the 1000 block of Grand Parkway North.
Upon arrival, the lieutenant spoke to an officer with the Metro Police Department, who informed him that one of their vehicles had been involved in an unsanctioned “car meet,” also referred to as a “parking lot takeover.”
The Metro officer showed the lieutenant a video of the fully marked patrol vehicle driving through the parking lot of the location, but the person behind the wheel was not wearing a uniform.
Law enforcement said the Tahoe driver was also seen doing donuts in the vehicle.
The Metro officer pulled over the vehicle and asked the driver if he was with law enforcement, to which he replied that he was not. He said Timario then informed him he was an employee of the local car dealership and had taken the vehicle without permission, documents state.
Timario allegedly explained that he was a porter and had been instructed by a technician to move the vehicle from the garage to the back parking lot after the repairs were complete. Timario said he did as he was told but kept the keys.
Timario said he was encouraged by his friend, who runs the car meet, to bring the Tahoe that evening. When asked if he ever did something like that before, Timario - surprisingly - admitted that he had, according to documents.
He allegedly told the lieutenant that he had once taken a Waller County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle to another meet and even showed pictures of the vehicle at the event with the emergency lights activated.
He did say, however, that he never used any of the patrol vehicles to pull anyone over, nor did he ever pretend to be law enforcement. He apparently was taking the vehicles for enjoyment, investigators said.
The report states, “it should be noted that this vehicle is equipped with an in-car dash camera, and the patrol vehicle is observed driving through the parking lot and into the parking garage. Timario is also heard in the video talking to multiple people about taking the patrol vehicle.”
Surveillance footage from the dealership, which was reviewed later, allegedly shows Timario moving the Tahoe from the ready line parking lot, through the maintenance shop, and parking it in the back parking lot by his personal vehicle.
It then appears to show Timario clocking off work, walking to the parking lot, changing his clothes, then driving off in the Tahoe.
Timario was arrested and transported to the Harris County Jail.
He admitted to his wrongdoing and the case was settled quickly. Documents show he received two years deferred adjudication and 40 hours of community service.