Alva police locate stolen vehicle, arrest suspect

 

November 14, 2021



An Alva man who recently arrived from Tulsa has been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and other stolen property.

Alva Police Officer Dakota Davis was contacted at home on Nov. 4 to help look for a stolen vehicle. The two-door, black Mercedes convertible had been spotted in Alva. Just after 7 p.m. Davis saw the described vehicle traveling in the opposite direction at Hart Street and College Boulevard. He turned around and checked the tag to make sure it matched the stolen vehicle.

The driver of the Mercedes increased speed, and Davis didn’t catch up until he saw it drive into the north exit of the parking lot at Buena Vista Apartments, 1901 College Boulevard. Officer Davis found the vehicle parked in the southernmost end of the lot. He radioed Woods County dispatch that he’d found the vehicle and would be looking for the driver.

Exiting his patrol vehicle, Davis met three individuals. One stated he saw the man who got out of the vehicle but could not provide a description. He said the man had a large dog with him, and he went toward the northeast apartment building. Davis searched around the exterior of that building but found no one.

Davis returned to the witnesses to ask more questions. He was told the apartment number where the driver knocked. The witness said he knew the renter of the apartment, but not the driver.

Before going to the apartment, Davis checked the stolen vehicle for any passengers or a way to identify the driver. He didn’t find any occupants or ID but saw a plastic to-go cup in the driver’s seat with its contents spilled within the seat and compartment.

Davis and Officer James Jones went to the apartment where they spoke to the renter. He said his nephew had just arrived and was inside. Tylor Coghill arrived from an adjacent room, and Davis asked him to exit the apartment so he could speak with him. He placed Coghill in handcuffs for his safety and told him he was being detained.

Pointing to the vehicle in the parking lot, Davis asked Coghill if he had been driving it. He said no, adding that he doesn’t own a vehicle. He said his brother had dropped him off. Deputy Chase Bouziden asked Coghill where he lives, and he replied, “Nowhere really.” He said he was here to say goodbye to his family before going to rehab. He eventually told the officers he traveled to Alva from Tulsa and the rehab was in Wimberly, Texas.

Bouziden asked Coghill when he arrived in Alva, and he had trouble recalling, finally saying it might have been two and half days before. Davis asked what he did for a living in Tulsa, and he said he was disabled. He said he was going to rehab for “pain pills mostly.”

While patting down Coghill for any weapons, Davis could feel his pants were wet to the touch. When asked why they were wet, Coghill denied it. Jones turned his flashlight on so the wet spots could be seen. Coghill said he did laundry at his parents’ house, and his pants shouldn’t be wet. Davis said he was asking because of the spilled drink in the stolen vehicle.

Davis and Farris walked away toward the parking lot to talk. Farris said the uncle hadn’t seen Coghill in several years until he showed up unannounced a few minutes ago.

Officer Davis took Coghill to his patrol vehicle, placing him in the front seat and reading him his Miranda Rights. Coghill acknowledged his rights and waived them.

Davis asked Coghill where he was before coming to the apartment. Coghill said he went to McDonald’s and waited for his brother to get off. He said his brother then brought him to his uncle’s apartment.

When asked how he got to Alva, Coghill said a friend brought him. The friend was supposed to come back and pick him up that day about noon to take him to rehab in Texas. However, the friend’s vehicle broke down after the friend got back to Tulsa. After more questions, Davis told Coghill he was under arrest for possession of a stolen vehicle.

Farris and Jones were searching the Mercedes while Davis was interviewing Coghill. They found a cellphone, two packs of cigarettes, an Asp baton, a dog chew toy, flea and tick shampoo, a bottle of whiskey, a butane cartridge and a bottle of cologne in the cabin of the vehicle. After Davis joined them, the officers opened the trunk and found a duffel bag, a string backpack, a plastic bag, a bag of adult dog food and some loose clothing.

In the plastic bag were two cans of black “vinyl wrap” spray paint purchased on Nov. 3. There was a checkbook from Alva state bank in the name of Russell Steffen and a bag of canine treats.

A Tulsa Walgreen’s receipt in the trunk showed the purchase of a Visa card and a 22 ounce bottle of flea and tick shampoo.

In the duffel bag, Davis found five cellphones, a Google Chrome laptop, a butane lighter, a Mastercard with the name Tylor Goghill, a motel key card, five different vehicle keys, two key fobs, an unused syringe, assorted toiletries, dirty clothes, a metal case containing Social Security cards in the names of Angel Nicole Buzzard and Elaine Jumper, four reloadable debit cards, a Visa card in the name of Kimberly Smith Hendrix, a Medicare health insurance card for Russell S. Steffen, a copy of an Arizona driver’s license with the name Russell Simon Steffen on it, a Sprint sim card, a Cricket sim card, three non-branded sim cards, two pieces of tin foil (one with burn residue and the other with a flaky substance), and two baggies with a white powdery substance which later field tested positive for methamphetamine.

After the search, Davis and Jones went back to the apartment where the uncle gave them verbal permission to search the bathroom where Coghill had been. Jones observed a key fob submerged in the full toilet tank. Davis drained the tank and retrieved the fob which had a Mercedes emblem on the back. He took the fob outside, and when he pressed the lock and unlock buttons the Mercedes’ lights illuminated.

The vehicle was towed and impounded. Coghill asked that his dog, a large gray pit bull, be released to his brother. Davis retrieved the dog from the apartment and released it to his brother.

Tylor Chad Raymond Coghill, 28, of Alva, was charged Nov. 5 with possession of a stolen vehicle and knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property, both felonies. The 2014 Mercedes Benz convertible had been reported stolen from Joseph Solomon about Oct. 21.

The stolen vehicle charge is punishable by imprisonment in custody of the Department of Corrections not to exceed two years.

The stolen property charge is punishable by imprisonment not to exceed five years or a fine not to exceed $500, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Coghill’s bond has been set at $15,000, and his next court date is scheduled for Dec. 14.

 

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