Deputies recover truck reportedly stolen from Georgia

The Whitley County Sheriff’s Department recovered a stolen truck out of Georgia Sunday morning, and arrested one person in connection with the case.

Patricia Wichman is charged with receiving stolen property and drug possession.

Deputy Joe Prewitt arrested Patricia Wichman, 51, of Loyall, charging her with receiving stolen property under $10,000, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of a controlled substance, third-degree possession of a controlled substance and having a controlled substance prescription not in its original container, according to a sheriff’s department release.

Prewitt also served Wichman with an outstanding bench warrant.

Prewitt began investigating the matter while answering a call about an occupied vehicle that had broken down in the middle of the road on north US25 near Hemlock Drive, according to Wichman’s arrest citation.

Prewitt found Wichman in possession of a 2007 GMC Sierra, which the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department in Georgia had entered as stolen on April 13, according to the release.

When Prewitt searched Wichman, he found a pill bottle in her sock with three different types of pills believed to be Hydrocodone, Clonazepam and one other unknown type of pill. In a cigarette pack, Prewitt found several Gabapentin and Suboxone, he wrote on an arrest citation.

Wichman was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center where she is still being held in lieu of a $5,000 fully secured bond.

Wichman pleaded not guilty to the charges during her arraignment Monday in Whitley District Court.

Judge Fred White appointed the public advocate’s office to represent Wichman and scheduled an April 29 preliminary hearing in her case.