STOLEN PINE CREEK ATV RECOVERED FOLLOWING TRAFFIC STOP

(10/19/2006)
A Roane-Calhoun resident was arrested Tuesday night by Trooper 1st Class Jeff Hunt and charged with the grand larceny of a Honda ATV, stolen from a Pine Creek residence.

Robert Allen Starcher, 23, is being held on $13,600 cash bond in Central Regional Jail for the theft of the ATV, in addition to driving while suspended DUI, no insurance, failure to dim lights and improper registration.

The ATV was stolen from the Richard Vanhorn residence and traded for a 1985 Chevy Camaro in Tyler County. (See earlier Herald story)

The ATV was returned to the owner.

Officer Hunt spotted a vehicle on US 33-119 in the Letherbark area that failed to dim its lights and attempted to allude the officer, after which he made a traffic stop.

The officer discovered Starcher's license had been revoked in 2004.

Starcher, in a statement given to police, said that "he traveled with Jimmy Jack Vandal and Christina Vandal to the victim's (Vanhorn) property," allegedly taking the ATV.

Starcher could be facing 1-10 years in prison or up to one year in jail with a $2,500 fine on the larceny charge. The DUI suspended has a mandatory 6 months in jail with a $100-$500 fine.