Man who stole soft drink truck pleads
Mar. 20—The man accused of stealing a soft drink delivery truck while the driver was inside a convenience store making a delivery pleaded guilty in Cumberland County Criminal Court March 3.
Austin Tyler Johnny Hofmeister, 27, charged with theft of property of $60,000 to $250,000 in that case dating back to May 2022, and in unrelated cases of theft of property of $60,000 to $250,000, theft of property of up to $1,000 and vandalism of up to $1,000, entered three guilty pleas.
Hofmeister pleaded guilty to the following:
—Theft of property of $60,000 to $250,000, in the May 10, 2022, theft of a Coca-Cola 2005 Freightliner semi-truck from the Dollar General Store parking lot of N. Main St. while the driver was inside the store making a delivery.
Crossville Police, with the aid of tracking technology, were able to trace the truck to Hwy. 127 N. onto Clarkrange Rd. Monterey Police attempted to stop the vehicle, which fled to Hwy. 85 in Putnam County and then onto Livingston Hwy. where the vehicle was recovered wrecked.
The cab of the truck was armed with a surveillance camera and authorities were able to identify Hofmeister and the person driving the truck when it fled.
—Theft of property of more than $60,000, occurring on May 10, 2022, involving an excavator, investigated by CPD.
—Vandalism of more than $1,000 involving damage to a sprinkler head at the Cumberland County Justice Center.
Hofmeister received an eight-year sentence to be served at 30% with credit for time served in jail. The sentence is to run concurrent with Putnam County sentences and Hofmeister is to pay $600 restitution to Cumberland County.
The theft of up to $1,000 was dropped.
In other cases, the following guilty pleas were entered:
—Nekeisha Jane Woody, 25, charged with possession of more than .5 grams of meth for sell and/or delivery and two counts of theft of property of up to $1,000, pleaded guilty to the charges and received an eight-year suspended sentence to be served as a Range 1 offender at 30%.
A furlough was then granted to allow Woody to go directly into long-term in-house rehab which Woody must complete as a condition of probation.
The meth case stems from a July 6, 2022 traffic stop by CCSO Deputy Perianna Evans during which meth was discovered, The theft case stems from thefts of food items from the Dollar General Store on Nov. 13 and Dec. 18, 2021, and investigated by CCSO Investigator David Hamby.
Guilty pleas
—Austin Tyler Johnny Hofmeister, 27, charged with theft of property
Set for trial
—Kelvin Wayne Flynn, driving under the influence, per se (blood alcohol test .08% or higher), failure to render aid and no proof of insurance, trial set for April 6.
Deadline docket
—Susan Elizabeth Floster, two counts of possession of a Schedule VI drug with intent to sell and/or deliver and simple possession, continued to April 14.
—Lakeshia Dawn Martin, possession of meth with intent to sell and/or deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, continued to April 14.
—John Noble Patton, possession of meth with intent to sell and/or deliver, continued to April 14.
—Tony Wayne Starkes, possession of a Schedule II drug with intent to sell and/or deliver and aggravated criminal trespassing, continued to April 28.
—Thomas Alan Uchytil, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, continued to April 28.
—Carl Nathaniel Sherrill, aggravated burglary, continued to April 14.
Probation violations
—Joy Marie Bartley, three probation violation warrants, continued to April 14.
—Lancer Dwayne Goss, probation violation warrant dismissed.
—Cody Dwayne Rector, probation revoked and to serve the balance of an eight-year sentence at 30%.
—Kimberly Cora Sandra Spencer, probation revoked and to serve the balance of a two-year sentence at 30%.
—Nathaniel Harrison Payne, Public Defender's Office appointed to represent Payne and continued to March 20.
—Carrie Nicole Rector, probation revoked and to serve the balance of a six-year sentence at 30%.
Michael Moser may be reached at mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com
