A Groveland man was arrested after an officer saw him driving a stolen U-Haul truck in the McDonald’s drive through.
Police observed the driver of a white 2023 Chevy Silverado, later identified as 28-year-old Tristan Michael Berry, in the area of State Road 50 around 1:43 a.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Groveland Police Department. The vehicle came up as stolen on the officer’s alert system, and a check of the tag showed the registered owner to be a U-Haul out of Arizona.
The officer watched the vehicle, which had Berry and one female passenger, drive past his patrol car headed eastbound on State Road 50. It then made a left into the McDonald’s drive through, located at 460 W Broad Street, the report said.
During this time, the officer checked the Arizona plates again and confirmed the vehicle to be stolen. It was entered as such by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the report said.
Once Berry left the drive through, he started heading westbound on State Road 50. The officer initiated a traffic stop, and more officers responded to the area as they turned onto Weir Place. Emergency radio traffic was given as the officer ordered Berry out of the vehicle, the report said.
Berry and the passenger were detained in separate vehicles, and he elected to speak with law enforcement. He advised that he got the vehicle from a guy who told him if he had any issues to say a lady named “Sandra” gave it to him. He did not know who Sandra was but stated that “Paul Berry” knew the individuals that gave him the vehicle to drive while on the way to the Lake County Jail, the report said.
Berry was subsequently arrested and charged with evidence of theft or dealing in stolen property. He was transported to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $10,000 bond. A hold was placed on the vehicle as it was waiting to be processed at the time of the arrest.
