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A man who made local news earlier this month for allegedly living in the Pioneer Park snack shack, has been returned to his most recent place of residence: Wayne Brown Correctional Facility.
David Randall Whatley, 51, had been out of jail less than four days when he was arrested again on Sunday afternoon for allegedly stealing a vehicle in Auburn.
On July 19, Whatley was arrested after a caller from Pioneer Park reported a man wearing an umpire shirt, a blue apron and orange knee socks was having problems trying to light a barbecue and was scaring parents and children.
Whatley allegedly was found to have been living in the snack shack and was arrested by Nevada City Police officers on suspicion of burglary and receiving stolen property.
He was released from jail July 21, and it was not clear whether charges in that incident would be filed by the Nevada County District Attorney's Office.
Whatley was pulled over on Interstate 80 east of Hirschdale Road at about 1 p.m. Sunday after he allegedly was spotted speeding, weaving and driving across the white line, said California Highway Patrol Officer Tony Prisco.
The vehicle, a Nissan Quest, also had a cracked windshield and a broken right-side window, Prisco said.
Whatley made no attempt to evade the officer, but wasn't familiar with the van and didn't know who it was registered to, Prisco said.
The officer became suspicious and ran the license, finding out the van had been reported stolen from Shale Ridge Road in Auburn at about 8 a.m.
Officers are investigating Whatley's possible connection to another vehicle that had been reported stolen, then dumped, in the same neighborhood.
The first vehicle “was found just down the road, blocking someone's driveway,” Prisco said. “They sent an officer out to recover that car and he had just arrived, when they got another report of a stolen Nissan Quest just down the street.”
Whatley was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto, vehicle theft, second-degree burglary and driving on a suspended license. He is being held in lieu of $26,012.50 bail. Whatley is listed by the jail as being from Granite Bay, but Prisco said he is from Garland, Texas.
To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4229.
David Randall Whatley, 51, had been out of jail less than four days when he was arrested again on Sunday afternoon for allegedly stealing a vehicle in Auburn.
On July 19, Whatley was arrested after a caller from Pioneer Park reported a man wearing an umpire shirt, a blue apron and orange knee socks was having problems trying to light a barbecue and was scaring parents and children.
Whatley allegedly was found to have been living in the snack shack and was arrested by Nevada City Police officers on suspicion of burglary and receiving stolen property.
He was released from jail July 21, and it was not clear whether charges in that incident would be filed by the Nevada County District Attorney's Office.
Whatley was pulled over on Interstate 80 east of Hirschdale Road at about 1 p.m. Sunday after he allegedly was spotted speeding, weaving and driving across the white line, said California Highway Patrol Officer Tony Prisco.
The vehicle, a Nissan Quest, also had a cracked windshield and a broken right-side window, Prisco said.
Whatley made no attempt to evade the officer, but wasn't familiar with the van and didn't know who it was registered to, Prisco said.
The officer became suspicious and ran the license, finding out the van had been reported stolen from Shale Ridge Road in Auburn at about 8 a.m.
Officers are investigating Whatley's possible connection to another vehicle that had been reported stolen, then dumped, in the same neighborhood.
The first vehicle “was found just down the road, blocking someone's driveway,” Prisco said. “They sent an officer out to recover that car and he had just arrived, when they got another report of a stolen Nissan Quest just down the street.”
Whatley was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto, vehicle theft, second-degree burglary and driving on a suspended license. He is being held in lieu of $26,012.50 bail. Whatley is listed by the jail as being from Granite Bay, but Prisco said he is from Garland, Texas.
To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4229.
