Florida man crashes stolen motorcycle, claims not to know why he was sitting next to it: PCSO
LAKELAND, Fla. - A man with a long criminal history faces charges after Polk County deputies say he crashed a stolen motorcycle, then told investigators he had no idea why he was even sitting next to it.
Timeline:
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, a deputy responded to reports of a man lying in the road along Old Tampa Highway in the Lakeland area shortly before 7 p.m. Monday.
The deputy found John Teal, Jr., 33, sitting next to the motorcycle while wearing a helmet and complaining of pain in his hand, PCSO said.
Mugshot of John Teal, Jr. Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office.
When questioned further, Teal claimed he didn't know where the motorcycle came from or why he was sitting beside it, according to investigators.
PCSO said detectives discovered that the motorcycle was stolen from St. Petersburg on Feb. 10, and the ignition had been altered since then.
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What's next:
Deputies booked Teal into jail on charges of grand theft, tampering with evidence and attaching an unassigned tag.
Jail records show Teal has been arrested more than a dozen times in Polk County, dating back to 2010. He has prior convictions for motorcycle theft and tampering with evidence, PCSO said.
The Source: This story was written using information provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Polk County Jail records.
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