Found vehicle leads to charges for North Vernon man

VERNON — A 26-year-old North Vernon man faces criminal charges after an incident that began early Monday morning with a report of a vehicle in a ditch in southeastern Jennings County.

According to a report from the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, Alan W. Williams was arrested after officers investigating the report on County Road 350 East near County Road 500 South were able to determine the vehicle had been reported stolen from a residence on North State Street in North Vernon.

During a search of the car, police reported they found bolt cutters and other tools associated with burglaries as well as evidence from a burglary that occurred at a business in the 600 block of South State Street in North Vernon. Officers also reported they found a GPS unit taken from a vehicle in the North Vernon area as well as a bicycle inside the car.

Williams, who was booked into the Jennings County Jail in Vernon, faces Class D felony charges of auto theft and possession of stolen property charges as well as a charge of failure to register as a sex offender, also a Class D felony. That charge stems from an investigation that showed Williams had moved but failed to register his new address, police report.

Police credit a call from a tip line about the vehicle in the ditch for leading to the arrest of Williams.

The incident was investigated by county Officer Alan Ritchie.