A 23-year-old Hurricane resident, Austin Colby Tidwell, was arrested over the weekend after a pickup truck reported stolen from Oklahoma was found in Washington County.
The investigation began on October 15, following reports of the stolen vehicle possibly being sold in Hurricane Valley. Social media posts selling the truck were discovered, prompting authorities to identify Tidwell as a suspect based on information from Oklahoma.
On September 27, the truck’s license plate was captured by a St. George plate reader, leading to an attempt to locate it. On Saturday night, the stolen truck was spotted parked in Hurricane. Witnesses reported Tidwell claiming ownership of the vehicle.
A check of the vehicle identification number confirmed it was listed as stolen in a national crime database.
Tidwell returned to the area while police were present, stating he had bought the truck from someone in Arkansas, claiming he had been in possession of it since August.
He was arrested and charged with second-degree felony vehicle theft, with bail set at $5,000. The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed the charge on Monday, and Tidwell’s initial court appearance is pending.
This report is based on police statements and court records; individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.